[seekfrieddy]

Hi there! i am hoping people here will be a good resource for me. I have a wonderful pit bull mix that I could never part from. However, after going through a divorce and now being forced to rent I am finding it is REALLY hard to find places to live. I am lucky that my current landlord was open minded and met my dog before passing judgement and he loves her! BUT now I am facing a possible move to Philly for a job and I need to live close to the city and I am finding philly is NOT very pit bull friendly!!

How do you find places to rent with a pit bull mix? As soon as you say those words people shut down out there! Even ones claiming to be dog friendly put weight limits on (40 lbs and she is almost 50) and also have so many dog restrictions its ridiculous. you can't have your dog even mixed with over 10 breeds and of course, it includes pit bulls. Owning a house is just not possible for me right now and giving her up.....well, never.

any advice or suggestions? THanks!

[leangarance]

Do you know what else she's mixed with ?

Let's just use a P.B/Lab mix for an example.....

Say she's a Lab mix....it wouldn't be a lie.

[seekfrieddy]

I have NO idea what she is mixed with. I wondered if one of those genetic testing things might help where you send a swab and get a report back. Having worked in human genetics, its kind of bull- but I thought maybe it might work in my favor. She has a white chest and sort of looks like she could be a boxer, but she is brindle too! I read the sticky on the "how to rent an apartment". but I just have gotten the impression this just will not work with a managed apartment complex. I will try to work on references at least. Her rabies and license info also says pit mix.

So is it possible to get renter's insurance that will cover pit bulls? I would be MORE than willing to pay whatever I needed to keep her and be able to rent a nice place that is safe in philly.

oh and I try the "boxer mix" thing, but people always ask mixed with what? I am not a good liar and honestly, I like telling people she is a pit! she is so lovable, so kind, and gets along with everyone and I love seeing the shock on their faces....BUT it is getting hard now that I have to rent in the city......

[i6mbwwdh]

Show us a picture of her

[NanoKakadze]

Here is a list of resources around philly that accept pit bulls. I hope it helps.
http://www.bulladelphia.org/honorabull_housing.aspx

Going through individuals instead of large companies also increases your chances of finding someone who will allow bully breeds.

[seekfrieddy]

hey thanks! I will check out that link!! I think it is easier to convince individual landlords, but in that area its a lot of complexes. I already started working on references for her. I should have quite a few. I have a good group of friends that have dogs and we all dog sit for each other. So she has been with many different types of dogs and they are more than willing (the owners! ha!) to write me recommendations. I am hoping I can get one from my vet as well.

I am still looking for renters insurance. I would love to do that becasue I think its a great idea and I think VERY appealing for landlords, but I dont knwo which companies include pits now. I read USAA, State farm and Nationwide. I have USAA now and love them, but I heard they no longer insure pits and I dont want to lose the insurance I already have by asking them. anyone have current info? let me see if I can figure out how to get a pic up of my girl!

---------- Post added at 10:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:11 PM ----------

Ok. I am not sure if I did the pictures right! I uploaded some to my album and tried to set a profile picture, but it doesn't look like it is showing.......hm.

[cristmiff]

Some places if you can get your dog their Canine Good Citizen title/award then they are a bit more lenient.

[seekfrieddy]

YES! you are right. I sent out a few emails tonight to check out the possibility of the good canine. I checked the requirements and I am certain she will pass. I just wonder how harshly they judge pits? The only thing is with new dogs. she sniffs them and her hair stands up. that is about the end of it, then she just moves on, but would that be acceptable? Need to find out a little more, but regardless of the apartment situation- I would love to do it. I think its just one more way to prove what good dogs they can be.....
I tried to attach a pic here. If it works, I am PRETTY sure you can tell which one is her. (the one that ISNT a lab! ha!) How do I get my profile pic to appear??

[MegaJIT]

State Farm doesn't usually have a breed restriction, but sometimes, you have to call around and talk to several different agents before you find one that will say yes. Just because one agent says no, doesn't mean every agent will. State Farm is about the best out there as far as not having breed restrictions, but sometimes, it depends on the agent, so keep calling around.

You can always say she is a Lab/Terrier mix... or Lab mix, or if you really want to be accurate, just say she's a mutt.... basically, without papers from a reputable breeder that says she's a pure bred, then, actually, she is just a mutt!

Here's a thread that may help you: Renting With Your Dog Regardless of Breed - General Dog Discussions

And here's one to help with posting pictures.

Photography & Artwork How to Post Pictures