Dive Brief:
- The Arizona Senate has introduced a bill that would prohibit landlords and rental housing providers in the state from setting dog breed restrictions at their properties.
- Restrictions often apply to breeds considered dangerous or aggressive, but also frequently cover dogs in the working and sporting breed groups, who are larger and have high energy levels, according to a Marketwatch report. The dog breeds most commonly restricted, whether imposed by law or by individual landlords, include pit bulls, bulldogs, Rottweilers and German shepherds.
- Landlords would still be permitted to restrict tenants from owning dogs under this law. Arizona Sen. J.D. Mesnard, in a statement to AZ Family, expressed concern that the bill could lead to more landlords banning dogs altogether in order to keep banning specific breeds.
Dive Insight:
The Arizona Multihousing Association is opposed to the bill as written. Courtney Gilstrap LeVinus, CEO of the AMA, told Multifamily Dive that property owners often must restrict certain breeds because of limits in the building’s insurance coverage.
“This may leave a community uninsured or with insurance coverage that is extremely expensive,” Gilstrap LeVinus said.
The association is currently working with the bill’s sponsor, Arizona Sen. Brian Fernandez, on an amendment that would allow property owners to make decisions about dogs based on size or weight, rather than on breed.
“This mirrors previous legislation that passed a couple of years ago pertaining to homeowners’ and renters’ insurance coverage,” Gilstrap LeVinus said. “We believe this to be a better balance for current residents, prospective residents and property owners.”
As of April 2020, 21 states have laws banning breed-specific legislation, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Arizona passed its own breed-specific legislation ban in 2016. However, while these laws forbid states or localities from banning specific dog breeds within their borders, they do not necessarily apply to landlord-tenant relationships.
In a survey of renters by Marketwatch, 40% of commonly restricted dog breed owners reported having trouble finding affordable housing because of their dogs. Of all respondents with restricted dog breeds, 13% reported they had had to surrender their dogs in order to secure housing. A small number of respondents had become temporarily homeless during a search for housing that would accept their dogs.
A similar piece of legislation was introduced in the California State Assembly on Feb. 20, which, if passed, would require property owners in California to accept renters’ common household pets. Landlords would be prohibited from asking about pets on applications, and limited in their capacity to charge fees or deposits for pets.
