Sarah Myers is looking for a new place to live.
Myers, 28, is a server at Mesh on Mass who rents a one-bedroom apartment on Massachusetts Avenue with her boyfriend, Mike Miller. They recently found out their year-old pit bull mix, Boyd, may no longer be welcome.
The couple moved into their apartment Jan. 1, but the building's owner plans to institute a new “no dog” policy.
So, what's the big deal? They could easily find another dog-friendly apartment, right? Myers said not so.
“When we decided to move back to Indy from Louisville last year, we called more than 25 apartments in the Downtown area before we found one that would accept Boyd,” she said. “A lot of them didn’t allow dogs, but most of them had breed restrictions.”
Many apartments don't allow certain breeds that insurance companies deem to be aggressive, including pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers and German shepherds, said Lynne Petersen, president of the Indiana Apartment Association.
Myers fears that even if she finds a pet-friendly property, Boyd’s breed will prevent them from easily finding a new apartment.
"No one has ever said, can I meet your dog first," Myers said, adding she was turned down many times based on his physical description or photos alone. She describes Boyd as a "goofball" and a "snuggle-monster" that loves cats, kids and people.
"He will always make you laugh, and he's really laid back. He will always do what you want to do, he's a people pleaser," she said.
When Myers adopted Boyd from the Humane Society of Indianapolis, the shelter described him as a pit bull mix. But last month the Humane Society stopped identifying animals in the shelter by breed.
"We are promoting our animals as individuals, and we are asking the public to get to know an animal based on their exhibited personality traits,” said Kelly McKinney, customer service and adoptions manager. Labeling dogs as a pit bull mix can hinder the successful placement of animals into a home, she said.
The organization is one of a handful of shelters nationwide that have removed breed labels from the animals' information cards. Instead, the shelter will place animals in personality categories including "athlete," "class clown," "bashful" and "lazy bones." A kennel card will list the animal's category, a description of that personality and the animal's name, age, gender, weight, color and adoption fee. There might also be specific notations such as "Needs a quiet home" or "Would make a great running partner."
"Breed labels are usually just educated guesses based on physical appearance," IndyHumane wrote in a statement. The Humane Society says an animal's environment, history and other factors play a more important role in a dog's behavior.
IndyHumane is the largest, private nonprofit shelter in Indiana and currently cares for about 315 puppies, kittens and adult dogs and cats (including those in foster care), taking in more than 3,000 animals a year.
Should a patron inquire about a dog's breed for an apartment rental or insurance policy, IndyHumane staff will be available to offer an educated guess.
Petersen said that while she isn’t aware of IndyHumane’s decision, she doesn’t foresee it having any impact on current rental practices. “If there is a question of a breed, the best practice is to get some kind of certification.”
Shawna Ping, president of the Casa del Toro Pit Bull Rescue, said the removal of breed labels on-site is a progressive step.
"Regardless of what is written on a piece of paper, people are going to make their decision based on a look of a dog." Ping said "pit bull" is not a breed but a general description of a type of dog. The American pit bull terrier is a recognized breed, but the term "pit bull" has evolved to describe dogs with common physical characteristics including a stocky body type and square-shaped head.
"Even if the dog has no pit bull whatsoever, but the person perceives and will automatically have stereotypes in mind just because of way dog looks," she said, adding that just as not all golden retrievers are child-friendly, not all pit bulls are aggressive. Casa del Toro Pit Bull Rescue describes its dogs by behavior traits and temperament.
Several shelters across the United States have removed breed labels from adoption shelters and websites, including the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia. The shelter launched the initiative almost a year ago.
"At least 75 percent of the time, even a vet makes a wrong guess so we have no business making those pronouncements because they're likely wrong," said Barbara Hutcherson, the shelter's acting director. Hutcherson said it's hard to say whether there has been an increase in adoptions since removing the labels, but the move has led to some great conversations with staff and visitors.
So far, the change has been well-received by customers at Fairfax County, and according to Hutcherson, there have been no complaints.
While people visiting the Indy Humane shelter at 7929 Michigan Road won't see dog breeds listed on kennels, indyhumane.org will still identify dogs by breed or breed mix. The shelter is unable to remove breeds from the website due to limitations with the database provider, McKinney said.
Ping said she encounters similar issues when advertising a pet for adoption on websites such as Petfinder.com, which also requires a breed listing.
"There is no option for American Kennel Dog, so we're pigeonholed into something; the only other alternative is to not use those resources," she said.
Ping thinks the removal of breed labels on animal kennels will increase adoptions.
"People are going to adopt a dog, take it home. And if it ends up being a great pet and they find out later it's a pit bull, they're not going to take it back and say it's a vicious murderer. Taking something that could be inherently fearful and making it accessible is crucial to the movement."
Myers, who plans to fight the property management company’s decision should they choose to institute a "no dog" policy, is building a portfolio for Boyd with testimonies from previous landlords and neighbors, as well as photos of Boyd out in the community. She even registered him as an emotional support dog.
"I have a lot of anxiety about this whole situation." She said the thought of looking for a new place to live makes her sick.
"I feel like I’ve exhausted all my resources. If there are places that allow dogs, they're going to tell us, 'They just can’t look like your dog.' "
Call IndyStar reporter Leslie Bailey at (317) 444-6094. Follow her on Twitter @Lesalina, facebook.com/lesalina and Instagram @Lesalina.
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