Breed Bans: What Apartment Managers Should Know

Some state and local jurisdictions, insurance companies, and apartment complexes have banned certain dog breeds as “aggressive.”

Breed bans raise so many questions for apartment communities:

• What does it mean to you if your jurisdiction or insurance company has such a policy, and you have in-place residents with a named breed?  
• What do you do with reasonable accommodation requests for disability-related animals on the banned list?  
• Are breed bans a tactic you have (or have considered) employing on your property?

Even more important, you should consider whether:

• Breed bans are effective at reducing bites and incidents of attack?
• Will such policies likely increase or decrease the risk of general liability and fair housing claims stemming from dog attacks on the property and / or proposed disability discrimination?

This webinar will offer answers to these questions!  You’ll also learn about bite mechanics and which breeds are most commonly banned.

As a bonus you will also learn some basic “critter communication” tips and techniques designed to help you maintain on-the-job safety for you and your staff, regardless of the kind of animal encountered (pet, service or assistance animal, etc.), the species (dog, cat, or other), or the breed (banned or otherwise).

Webinar Objectives

• Appreciate the number of animals in American households and the market demand for animal-friendly properties.
• Identify the kinds of breed bans an apartment manager may find imposed by a jurisdiction or insurer, as well as your role, responsibility, and options in each case
• Discuss the effectiveness of breed bans and the official position of organizations ranging from animal rights groups to the American Bar Association
• Make an informed decision about whether or not to impose your own ban at your property taking safety, general liability, and fair housing liability into account.
• Better read dogs’ body language including warning and welcoming signs in order to avoid confrontation and attack with an unfamiliar or unfriendly dog and maintain personal life safety
   

Webinar Agenda

• Animals in Housing – pets, service animals, assistance animals
• Market Data
• Breed-Specific vs. Generic Dangerous Dog Bans and Reckless Owner Rules
• Bans Imposed by Jurisdictions, Insurance Carriers, as well as In-House Policies.
• The Effectiveness of Breed Bans
• Understanding the Reasons Dogs Attack
• Practical Tips for Avoiding Liability as well as Physical Attack.
   

Who Should Attend

• Leasing and on-site managers
• Portfolio managers
• Compliance officers
• Resident services coordinators (in affordable housing communities)
• Community concierges (in high-end housing communities)
• Independent landlords or small, “Mom and Pop” operators
• Service technicians, lead technicians, maintenance supervisors
• Homeowners’ association and community managers