Letter from Don Scott of Fountain Hills
Arizona House Bill 2323 sponsored by Rep. John Kavanagh is making its way through the state legislature.
It deserves to be signed into law.
This amendment to Title 20 of Arizona’s Revised Statutes removes discriminatory dog breed profiling used by insurance companies to hit policyholders and policy applicants with higher rates and, worse, results in loss of homeowners or renters insurance in a tight and expensive housing market.
As the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce lobby against this responsible legislation, I ask readers to consider being the Phoenix couple who recently had their homeowners insurance canceled by Hartford Financial simply for having adopted Echo, a friendly “pit bull”, into their family as a companion to their Australian Shepherd.
Adoption gives a homeless animal a loving new life and frees up a kennel for another dog in need. Yet insurance companies are forcing families to make excruciating decisions while awarding premiums to the dog heads they have profiled.
The pit bull is not a breed and without DNA testing no dog can be accurately identified.
Yet insurance companies are raising rates and kicking people out of their policies by indiscriminately and unjustifiably targeting family dogs.
Insurance companies and their political lobby would be best served by advocating against those who breed in their backyards, abuse animals, engage in dog fighting, and commercially sell puppy mill puppies.
They could elevate their corporate citizenship profiles and strengthen communities by supporting neutering and neutering programs and our county shelters, whose ‘occupiers’ today hope is the day a loving family will bring them back. at home, without facing prejudice.
Let’s pass HB2323!
Comments are closed.