Donald Morehead, a Real Change vendor for more than 20 years, says he runs into problems “all the time” when would-be landlords learn he has two blue nose pit bulls.
“All they know is what they see on TV,” Morehead said, “which is all negative.
“Whenever you go to a rental project, they ask if you have an animal,” he said. “As soon as you say pit bull, it’s ‘Oh, well, we don’t allow them.’”
Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, boxers and other breeds have all been typecast as ferocious attack dogs over the years, but perhaps none is more notorious than pit bulls. Their typically strong builds and reputation as fighting dogs have not only stoked public fear but also led to breed-specific bans against them, especially in housing.
The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA), for example, which operates nearly 8,500 apartments and rental homes in the city,…
