PROTECTION: Insurance companies drop their homeowner’s insurance for clients with “dangerous” dog breeds.
By Valeria Gutierrez, Staff Writer
We all want that perfect best friend. A best friend who will play with us when we are happy and cheer us up when we are sad. Someone who will always be by our side when we call his or her name. A best friend that will protect and love us regardless of who we are.
It is no wonder that dogs are a man’s best friend. Through their loyalty and love, any dog can gain a spot in the family picture. However, companies that are dropping policies disregard a dog’s role and go straight to the facts. Since dogs are covered under the homeowner’s insurance, payments are pricey. Insurance companies spent 490 million dollars on dog bite claims last year alone. Although precautionary measurements have been taken against “dangerous” breeds based off of statistics before, these measurements are unreliable. There are other options that can satisfy both the companies and the dog owners; denying coverage to owners of specific dog breeds is unnecessary.
The definition of dangerous differs for each person. According to a majority of the insurance companies, the most “dangerous” breeds include Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Chows, Great Danes, Press Canaries, Anitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies and wolf hybrids. The insurance companies believe that with this new policy, their dog bite claims will drop. For a short period of time they will be right, but then again, every dog bites. The type of dog does not matter; a small Chihuahua can still cause harm to other dogs and people. While some people wish to decrease the number of “dangerous” dog breeds, others want to ban them altogether.
In 1991, the U.K. passed the Dangerous Dog Ban, stating that the police have the right to search for and seize banned dogs. On top of the banned dog list are Pit Bulls and any mix of the breed, followed by other breeds that are considered difficult to control. To this day, the act is still in place and dog attacks have increased 66 percent since the act. Even these statistics are misleading because they do not state the breed of dogs that caused the most attacks. Statistics are tricky evidence – especially when they include people retelling stories on shocking events. When dog attack victims recalled the type of dog that attacked them, only half of the people said Pit Bulls. With so many types of mixed breeds and the recent claims of Pit Bull attacks, people can easily misjudge the dog.
Those who consider the statistics over the entire breed of dog are the ones who have not experienced the love of a 24/7 bodyguard. A majority of people listen to news
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that emphasizes how “dangerous” certain breeds are, but these people do not see the assistance that canines give. Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinschers and Rottweilers are mostly used for protection in homes and businesses since weapons, like guns, are being reconsidered legally in multiple states. German Shepherds are the most popular police dog. These K9s are faster than any police officer, more agile indoors and out, quickly scare any criminal and are reliable animals to send in when a criminal might threaten the lives of others. “Dangerous” breeds are trained to help people with disabilities, whether it is to lead them across the street safely or just keep company. Dog lovers all around, from policemen to small children, would lose a best friend and their sense of security.
These insurance companies are discriminating against gentle giants by making decisions based of the breed of the dog instead of its background. While some larger breeds may run wild in a pack because they have been deserted, others are trained to stop crime. While some are forced into the world of dog-fighting, others are at home protecting the toddler. To keep the homeowners’ insurance policies simple, if one household owns a dog, the price should be reasonably increased. If the dog has had previous encounters that are considered “dangerous,” then the price should also be increased. Those that take on the responsibility of raising another life should not be punished based on a few bad reputations set by others.
Man’s best friend is at risk of losing its title due to horrible encounters and biased statistics. When walking down the street, few people are willing to take the chance of passing a Pit Bull or German Shepherd because of its protective features. The majority of these larger breeds are extremely loyal and complete suckers for a scratch on the head, but their reputations are ruined due to misleading news headlines. Dogs are the same as people: we become whatever our parents raise us to be.