Pit bulls - Posted by Ben (NJ)

Posted by dale renworth on October 25, 2000 at 24:32:04:

Most of what you wrote is bull. (no pun intended)

“racism and racial persecution for dogs”?
Come on. I hope you are kidding. I have a feeling your not. That scares me.

Tell you what Chief, I’ll give you a choice.
You can be attacked by a chihuahua or pit bull.

Doh!

Your “poodle fact” is just as mis-leading. Poodles make great guard dogs becasue they are smart, not vicious. Same with shepards, although they tend to be “nervous biters.” They will snap but not usually attrack to kill.

A pit bulls behavior is determined by training.
Wrong - but let’s give it to you anyway. Pit bull owners tend to want agressive dogs and they treat them that way. What self-respecting pit bull owner wants a wimpy dog? A big part of the problem is people. But the breed itself is also a problem.

Pit bulls are inclined to attack without warning. They go for the throat and don’t let go. Selective breeding made them that way.

Pit Bulls kill more people (perceantage) of all ages than any other breed. Mutts are at the bottom of the list. Wanna guess how many people chihuahuas and poodles have killed in the last 46 years? Heck, they aren’t even on the list.

Different breeds have different characteristics. Pits and rots are killers. Poddles are docile. Greyhounds will run 'till they drop. Cihuahuas are just plain darn annoying.

Any dog that’s big enough can be dangerous. Some becasue of breed will be more dangerous than others.
Same goes for cats. There are fools out there trying to breed 120 pound cats!

I will not rent or lease/option to someone with a viscious breed. Period. I don’t want gov’t deciding which dogs are good and bad. But I do support the right of an insurance company to ban the darn things.

Pit bulls - Posted by Ben (NJ)

Posted by Ben (NJ) on October 23, 2000 at 22:40:24:

I hold a number of mortgage notes and just got notified today that the homeowner’s insurance on one property was canceled because the owner has a pit bull! This is a new one on me. What do I do to get it reinstated? What if he won’t get rid of the dog?

Re: Pit bulls - Posted by Redline

Posted by Redline on October 24, 2000 at 21:55:38:

Actually, I just insured a house in NJ late last year, and my insurance company wanted to know if I had any pets. I didn’t but asked why … they said certain dogs (pit balls in particular) would cause them to NOT be able to write the policy. No joke. Too much liability, they don’t want to be bothered.

RL

galveston outlawed pit bulls - Posted by RR Smith

Posted by RR Smith on October 24, 2000 at 05:57:57:

Galveston TX outlawed pit bulls and as far as I know the law still stands. The subdivision I was staying in (east bay San Fran.) had a covenant against pick up trucks parked on the outside of a garage (still in force). What is a forced insurance policy?

Re: Pit bulls - Posted by Irwin(CA)

Posted by Irwin(CA) on October 24, 2000 at 24:52:01:

Ben,

I wouldn’t bother worrying about the dog or trying to understand the insurance company’s reasoning. I would do what conventional lenders do when an insurance policy is cancelled. Procure a “forced insurance” policy and charge the borrowers for the premium. You are certainly entitled to do that as a noteholder as long as your note and/or mortgage (trust deed) doesn’t preclude such action. The premium for the FI policy is obscene but it is placed without a physical inspection.

Ask a conventional lender in your area for the name of their insurance company that provides the FI policies.

Hope this helps.

Irwin

Re: Pit bulls - Posted by Randy -IL-

Posted by Randy -IL- on October 24, 2000 at 24:10:15:

I can’t imagine that a company would cancel a policy solely based on a dog’s breed. That’s racism and racial persecution for dogs. But maybe some closed minded insurance companies believe that garbage. I once heard that a chihuahua is more vicious per pound than any other breed.

How is the dog’s behavior? The insurance inspectors that I know don’t look for breed but behavior and type of restraint. A mild mannered dog laying on a porch normally isn’t a problem. But a dog that tries to chew the leg off an inspector is a major problem. I’ve heard some municipalities have tried to restrict the ownership of certain breeds only to be struck down in court. A dog’s behavior is determined by it’s training or lack thereof.

I saw on Animal Planet that the number one guard dog in the world is a German Shepherd. The second is a Standard Poodle. Yup, you read it right, a poodle!

This is what I would do:

  1. Check the behavior of the dog.
  2. Build a good and secure fence around the yard.
  3. Take the dog to obedience school.
  4. Appeal the decision.
  5. If all else fails, switch companies.

Randy -IL-
My dog is my best friend. Can you tell?

Re: Pit bulls - Posted by k greene

Posted by k greene on October 26, 2000 at 16:20:28:

Pits are the pits! There are always the exception on some good animals but they are trained to kill .If the owners seem to be decent people the dog should be good natured. They bite they don’t let go . IF I were insurance company I would also decide not to underwrite. I am speaking as a large dog owner living in New York City, the capitol of the Pit.