20% of dogs received by Pet Alliance are surrendered due to landlord issues. That’s approximately 1800 dogs every year who are separated from their families because of breed and size restrictions.
When Linda and her son visited UCF to tour the campus, they spoke with a counselor, whom they asked for rental suggestions. “I have a pit bull,” Linda said. “That’s going to be your biggest problem,” the counselor replied.
How could a beloved family pet be someone’s “biggest problem” in finding housing? It sounds ridiculous, but this is a sad reality for many families. Pit bull-type dogs and other large breeds are often banned from rental units, forcing loving pet parents to give up their treasured family members. “He is very much a part of my family. He sleeps with me, he follows me around like he’s my tail.”
With the counselor’s words weighing on her mind, Linda grappled with the heart-wrenching decision of whether to leave her dog, Tank, behind with family in Colorado. “I was more stressed out about the possibility of him not coming with me than I was about selling my house,” she says.
Linda refused to give up Tank, so she looked for resources in Central Florida to help her find a rental. As it turns out, the counselor who told her Tank would be her biggest problem was also a saving grace. “She told me about Pet Alliance and I went on their website.” That’s where she found our Pet Apartment Registry and Oviedo Grove Apartments, where she currently resides. How has it worked out?
“This place has been so amazing for my dog. I haven’t had any issues. It’s been such a blessing.”
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando believes dogs like Tank should stay in their homes. We want to make breed and size restrictions a thing of the past, and our goal is to add 100 apartment communities to the registry and provide more options for families with all types of dogs.
