Moving Options: Changing Homes with Pit Bulls and Other Banned Breeds

So much had changed already happened in Sam Allan's life. Over the last few years, he'd lost his father, stepmother, sister and grandmother-and now his wife Kaylee had to tell him that he had to give up his childhood home and his dog.

He had an attachment to both, but over time had come to understand that he and his wife could not afford to pay the taxes and maintain the house. Still, a house is just a thing. The female pit bull was his canine companion-the one who loyally provided affection through the years of losses he experienced.

The Allans were moving from a house to an apartment, and due to Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL), few of the apartments they researched would accept pit bulls. None of their options were appealing.

Unaffordable Lease

The Allans needed to lower their monthly living expenses. Moving from an unaffordable house into an unaffordable apartment wouldn't make much sense, but there were a few expensive apartment communities that had no ban on pit bulls. After an analysis of finances, the couple decided that such an option would eventually force them to choose between feeding themselves and their pet.

Unsafe Area

Some areas have no BSL and allow a variety of pets, unregulated. The Allans found that most of these opportunities were affordable but in unsafe areas far from home. Unless they broke another law by committing insurance fraud, their car insurance would have nearly doubled and they might have put the safety of themselves and their pets at risk by living in such locations.

Euthanization

The Allans' pit bull was extremely large and muscular, over five years, fear-aggressive towards other dogs and had undergone surgery. She wasn't a small, adoptable puppy and the couple realized that the likelihood of her being adopted was slim. They had to consider immediate euthanization if they felt the dog was in danger of being adopted by someone who would use her to fight.

Leaving the dog with most shelters would also likely condemn the dog to eventual euthanization.

No-Kill Shelter

To avoid eventual euthanization, the couple considered leaving their dog with a no-kill shelter. No-kill shelters have policies against euthanizing any animals. Upon further inquiry, Kaylee learned that the local no-kill shelters indicated that they were full and could accept no more animals.

A Pit Bull by Any Other Name

Technically, the Allans' red-nose pit bull could pass as a non-breed standard American Staffordshire Terrier. When interviewing for apartments, they asked if such a breed was legal-but it seemed most apartment community staff members were aware of this pit bull pseudonym.

Hiding Dog

The final available option was lying about the dog's presence. The couple could choose to hide the dog in the apartment, knowing that this could put them at risk for fines or losing their dog. Considering the other options, however, this seemed like the only option and the one they finally chose.

When evaluating apartments, the couple drove around to see what types of dogs their would-be neighbors walked. On a drive-by inspection, the couple noticed several residents walking pit bulls throughout the complex.

Some apartment complexes offer bonuses to the community's staff (including maintenance) for reporting illegal pets, making this a further risky option. Once their move was complete, the couple decided against owning another put bull in the future, instead deciding to financially support pit bull rescue efforts.

Author's note: The names in this article were changed to protect the subjects' identities.