Related:<\/em><\/strong> Should You Allow Pets in Your Rentals?<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n First off, where there is smoke, there is usually fire. These breeds have a bad reputation for a reason.<\/p>\n Many will say the media has some kind of bias against these dogs, and the way they report dog attacks is unfair. However, you just can\u2019t get away from the hard statistic that 471 Americans have been killed by dogs since 2005, and 66 percent of those deaths were caused by pit bull-type dogs. All that, even though they comprise only 7 percent of the dog population.<\/p>\n The next most deadly breed is Rottweiler, causing another 10 percent of the deaths.<\/p>\n In addition, there are millions of non-fatal attacks and maulings every year. An attack or death by a dog on your property can cost you BIG TIME as a landlord<\/a>. Insurers hemorrhaged $675 million in dog bite claims in 2018 alone, and the average claim is on the rise.<\/p>\n Folks, if pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers are responsible for the vast majority of deaths and damage but are only 7 percent of the dog population, that\u2019s a whole lot of risk you can remove from your plate without shrinking your pool of tenants<\/a> by much.<\/p>\n Second of all, lawyers can and will sue everything that moves.\u00a0If a dog attack happens on your property and the tenant is broke and\/or underinsured, you as a landlord are going to have a giant red target on your back.<\/p>\n Landlords are perceived as having money, and it very well could be shaken out of you in court. And if it’s not the first time the dog has bitten someone, they might even have a pretty strong case. Learn from the mistakes and horror stories of other landlords on this issue, so you don\u2019t have to repeat them yourself.<\/p>\n Related:<\/em><\/strong> Why I Will Always Allow Pets in My Rental Property<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n If you choose to allow pit bulls, at least have a “one bite” policy in place, so that if the dog ever exhibits troubling behavior, the tenant understands and agrees that the dog MUST be removed from the property. The next bite could be worse.<\/p>\n You should also require that all tenants (pets or not) carry their own renters insurance policy, and if they have a dangerous breed, make sure it is covered. Most standard insurance policies will have dangerous breed exclusions, so it is worth your time to ask for a copy of their policy so you can call and verify. This type of policy might not be cheap. (Remember how much money was paid out last year for dog bites?!)<\/p>\n Your tenant might even be tempted to cancel this costly policy without telling you, so you might need to call and verify that it is still in place periodically. Personally, this is a lot of extra headache and worry that I don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n The main reason landlords should exclude dangerous dog breeds is because getting the liability insurance that covers them is a nightmare. Why is that the case? Well, actuaries are good at math.<\/p>\n Those with a soft spot for pit bulls can make all the excuses they want. They can blame the media for unfair reporting. They can show all the cute photos of \u201cpibbles\u201d who will just lick you to death.<\/p>\n Tell it to an actuary. Anecdotes like this are not the basis for sound business decisions. If your insurance company doesn\u2019t like the risk, you probably shouldn\u2019t like it either.<\/p>\n Breed does matter.<\/p>\n Of course, a neglectful or abusive owner is going to contribute to the bad behavior of any dog. But as much as pit bull apologists love to say, \u201cIt\u2019s the owner, not the breed,\u201d that is not always the whole story.<\/p>\n The truth is breeding matters. That\u2019s why people do it. Breeders have very successfully bred traits into and out of dogs based on the purpose of the breed. Herding dogs herd, hunting dogs hunt, guard dogs guard, and fighting dogs fight. Because of selective breeding, these traits become innate and instinctual.<\/p>\nCertain Breeds Are Largely Responsible for Deaths<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nLandlords Are Often Targets of Lawsuits<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nDog Liability Insurance Can Be Challenging to Secure<\/h3>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n
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