They Can Seize Your Dogs?
Of course me being the dog fanatic that I am, spent 3 hrs calling every company I could think of and searching the internet. Noone was willing to write them a policy as the 2 dogs they had were on the CDC's list of dogs most likely to bite. (They had 2 pit bulls.) The couple told me that they spoke to the head of this task force that told them so far they had seized in excess of 100+ dogs. After they left totally in pieces because they don't know what to do and their dogs are going to be put to sleep this Friday - I started looking on the internet. There are 2 companies on the internet that advertise that they will write dog liability but contrary to their ads they aren't willing to write coverage on dogs that are listed on the CDC's list either. The CDC lists: Chows, Dobermans, Rotweilers, Pit Bulls, Great Danes, St Bernards, and a couple of others. I honestly don't know what to say or think at this point. But I can say in all honesty that I said a quick prayer of thanks that we are well insured (our homeowners and umbrella coverage does cover animal bites from our animals both on and off premises) and that Sheepies aren't on the list. |
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| I don't get that at all. I love how these insurance companies decide what not to cover as they go along. I would have these people contact the local humane society and the media to see if they be proactive.
We have a weird thing going on in NJ. All NJ homeowner's insurance decided that they will not insure any houses that have knob & tube wiring. I'm not sure when they stopped installing knob & tube in houses, but I would say if your house is older than the 1940's then you will have some, if not all of that type of wiring. So if people want to buy an older house they are expected to rip out all of their old wiring & put new, which would also mean ripping out walls in some circumstances. |
| Weird, I'd be panicking too.
What's with great danes and st. bernards on the list??  |
| I have some serious issues with this...I think the city is overstepping their bounds and will likely end up in court. First of all, since when has merely owning a certain breed of dog constituted having a dangerous animal? And where is this task force getting the probable cause for any type of search and seizure? I could understand if you had an animal with a history of aggressive behaviour, but this speaks of abuse of power. I would suggest anyone effected by this get a lawyer and an injunction fast.
I have personally been around nearly all of the dogs on that CDC list my entire life and have yet to be bitten by any of them...one of them was even a former Pot Patch Guard Dog! The only people this is really going to effect is those whose dogs have never and will never pose a threat to people...because they love and care for their dogs and aren't abusing/neglecting or training the dogs to fight. |
Quote: What's with great danes and st. bernards on the list??
Somebody recently read Cujo! I feel sorry for some of those folks, but, honestly, pit bulls do one thing, and one thing only! They are bred for it like sheepies are bred to herd. You can't train it out or love it out. Those dogs scare me. Our neighbor has one, and our daughter has strict instructions that when (not if) he gets out, she is to walk quickly home and inside! |
That's sooo sad.  It seems like some local insurance company would be making it available to make a quick buck during this. We have our insurance through USAA, not really sure what their dog policy is. They've never asked us about our pets...we've had a great dane and german shepherd in the past also. They were two of the gentlest dogs alive - never would hurt anyone...and Dakota (the GSD) was the daughter of two police dogs from Munich and attack/obedience trained... As long as I didn't say her attack word (which I never had to without the trainer around), she was a gentle girl. |
BatonRougeSheepies wrote: ......and that Sheepies aren't on the list.
Sheepies aren't listed in the top ten, but years ago when inquiring about insurance to cover my 7 Sheepies I was told they were on the list.??? My agent finally got me hooked up with a company that would insure me, but only as a kennel, which increased my rates. I think government alone, and at public request are regulating way too much. Insurance companies play the game "their" way or not at all. As mentioned about the wiring. My home was built in the 50's. We moved in in the late 90's, and had already put in a new furance, water heater, new carpeting, drapes, hooked into the natural gas line, put in a new electrical box and bought new roofing. Within 2 weeks of starting the roof we got a cancellation notice. Why? Because of the age of the home. I told my agent all this and she contacted them. They cancelled us anyway and said when we got the new roof on they'd re-evaluate. We'd had insurance with that company for probably 15 years or better. Told them to stick it. Got another company with no problems and didn't even have to pay extra for the 5 dogs I had at that time. These poor dogs should at least be given the same chance as a criminal - innocent until proven guilty. They let child molestors move in next door to families with children when they're released from prison. What's the difference in letting a dog live next door if its properly contained? |
| That is just awful, what a bunch of money spinners !!!!!
I hate how things have got, you have to be so careful incase some idiot sues you - what has the world come to ?!?!?! And is always the innocent party who suffers  |
| Why didn't they just take out a renters policy?
I think it's a terrible thing but unless the insurance company won't write a policy if you have dogs it would seem like they would just take out a renters policy. My insurance company has never even asked if I have a dog.........I wonder if I'm supposed to tell them???? |
| Colorado--or maybe just Denver-- has a law like Louisiana. The courts upheld it.
It's enough to make one become a Libertarian instead of a Dem or Repub. The more power you give these idiots, the more they demand. Going to the government to solve problems only creates more. (soap box put away again) susan |
| If they haven't done so already, please tell them to call their State Insurance Bureau that regulates insurance in the state of Louisiana. Tell them that they need a list of companies that will insure them for liability claims that they may have with there pit bulls.
At the same time, also contact the city and tell them to provide a list of companies that will insure these dogs. Put the ball back in their court. If they are demanding insurance coverage it seems they should also provide a list of insurers willing to provide the coverage. If they are requiring it, it seems that some company out there must provide it. If a policy is not available it sounds to me like they're set on eliminating specific breeds of dogs from their city. 
Follow up with all calls with a certified letter to these places so the requests are in writing. Good luck to them... I'd be devastated and ready to move if I was in their shoes. |
| Don't forget a call to the local TV station that handles the government abuse stories.......the investigative reporters. Play up the angle that the goverenment has mandated the insurance but a search for companies is fruitless.
People are so anti-pitbulls right now.....it is scary. Problem is any dog that even resembles a pitbull falls under these laws. Neighbors report neighbors, dog catchers take the dogs "just in case." susan |
| When I bought my house 14 years ago, I was asked if I had any dogs and what breed. I said "No, but I'm thinking about getting a dog. Why do you ask?" The agent asked if I would get certain breeds like <whatever he rattled off at the time... Doberman? Pit Bull? Rottweiler?> I said: "No, Probably and Old English Sheeopdog." He said "No Problem."
I asked: "What if I did have one of those breeds?" He replied: "They'd ask you to take your business elsewhere." If we want to have an impact on the insurance business and we are with companies that don't allow certain breeds to be covered, then perhaps we should leave that company and give our business to more all-breed friendly insurers? |
Ron wrote: .........If we want to have an impact on the insurance business and we are with companies that don't allow certain breeds to be covered, then perhaps we should leave that company and give our business to more all-breed friendly insurers?
That's too easy, Ron. Most people would rather just sit back and b..tch about it. I agree with you a 100%! It would be the solution to so many problems. If they want to stay in business - they better CATER to the WANTS and NEEDS of the American CITIZEN!!! Rep. Dem. BOO!
Mouthypf |
| I hate to mention this and may get stoned for saying it but, aren't there valid REASONS why insurance companies won't insure certain breeds???? I mean come on..TWO PITBULLS???? Why for GOD SAKE? I am not saying a local government should have the right to seize dogs from owners but I certainly understand the hesitancy on the part of any insurance company to issue a liablility policy with two pitbulls. |
| No... you're not going to get stoned. I can understand your view. It's such a powerful breed and too many people who own them are not properly trained on how to handle them or are simply negligent or cruel.
But IF people are truly responsible owners and can afford the insurance, I think they should be able to have them. Why don't cities require testing to determine if they ARE a threat? Maybe make them have certain security measures in place and anyone with these dogs must pay the city for an annual inspection. It would allow responsible owners to have their dogs but still protect the public. It seems that there have got to be some "good" PBs out there... maybe I'm just naive |
| It would make sense to have some kind of screening process or "requirement" for high risk dogs to be insured. For example, an insurance company could require that a "High Rish" dog receive his Canine Good Citizens certification within a specified amount of time in order to be "insurable". That would show just how responsible the owners were. |
Yes! 
That's a very good idea. |
| I have to add this. I agree that there should be Insurace for these dogs. BUT let me add this. I was in my local beverage store 2 days ago. A man was in there and covered in stiches. Had over 100 of them. He had gone out in the moening to get his news paper and the dog next door attacked him for no reason. It took 3 men to get the dog off of him. The owner has no insurace to cover this so he has to foot the medical bill himself plus be out of work for at least 2 weeks. And the dogs owner is not a US citizin. He is a farm worked here for a short time.
What would you do in this case? Deana |
| That sounds like an extreme case, in the event of a truly viscious dog I do believe that there are times when you have no choice but to put the dog down. It's is a terrible thought and a terrible thing to say but some dogs are not redeemable. There is a big difference between a dog that "nips" and a dog that attacks. I have to wonder if a dog that has been trained to be viscious or raised in such a manner that he becomes truly viscious can ever be rehabilitated. |
| Gee, we recently had a police dog go bad. So even a trained dog can get squirrely.
susan |
| After having owned a dog that was a biter, I can truly say I'm glad he wasn't a pitbull.
BTW, I think that insurance companies ought to carry comprehensive lines of insurance. If they think a pitbull is high risk, then they ought to charge more, not deny insurance. My views on pitbulls have been discussed before. |
| Spoke to the head of the task force today about the seizure of dogs. He told me that since Katrina, their has been a high volume & influx of "trained fighting dogs" in our area. They are only seizing dogs that appear (scars, wounds, etc...) to have been fighting, have not had vet care or their rabies shots, or the ones that they deem are highly agressive.
I asked him specifically about the 2 pits belonging to the couple. He couldn't answer specifically due to the privacy act, but told me hypothetically what if the dogs were very agressive and had not had any vet care in years. I had to agree with him that in that hypothetical situation I could understand why the dogs were taken and would be euthanized. Since Hurricane Katrina, insurance in this area is extremely hard to come by especially homeowners coverage. Companies are using any and every excuse they can legally come up with not to write the coverage. They just don't want more risk/exposure in this area right now. Spoke to the Department of Insurance - nothing they can do. The insurance companies are within their rights. Don't know about Canadian insurance but I do know that in the US - all of the standard homeowners carriers will ask do you have any pets, what kind (dogs, ferrets, horses, cats, etc...) and what breed. The majority of those companies have list of breeds that if you own that breed they will decline to write the coverage and as it is in their underwriting guidelines - it is there legal right to do so. I guess I better stop at 3 sheepies so I am not rated as a dog kennel.  |
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