Have you seen this article from The Washington Post yet?

The article that mentions how researchers found that going off of just a dog’s breed alone explains very little about how the actual dog will behave?

It’s a quick read, but we want to share this quote with you as it perfectly summarizes the stereotype that prevents people and pets (especially bully breeds) in our community from accessing affordable housing:

“Although some traits appeared to coincide with existing beliefs about breeds, others contradicted deep-seated stereotypes. Labrador and golden retrievers, on average, scored high on “human sociability” — a measure of how receptive a dog is to unfamiliar with people. That finding goes hand in hand with those breeds’ reputations as friendly dogs. But American pit bull terriers, a breed that has been outlawed in some cities and is often not allowed to live in apartment complexes because of the belief that it is aggressive and destructive, also scored high on human sociability, the study found.”

Animal lovers like you and me are no strangers to the idea that certain dog breeds are discriminated against.

And for many of the people and pets we serve in our community who are renting their homes, unjust breed restrictions often prevent families from accessing affordable housing for themselves and their animal companions and increase homelessness and euthanasia of blocky-headed dogs.

The Arizona Pet Project is committed to helping people and pets, especially those who are most vulnerable and subject to discrimination.

If you know someone who needs assistance with meeting housing requirements, like pet deposits, vaccines, or spay and neuter, please send them our way and refer them to our Request for Assistance Form.