I get all of it, but I'm still not sure I'd report it.

mrsconn23

Dear Prudence,

I live in an apartment complex, and all of us tend to keep to ourselves. I don’t know any of my neighbors’ names, and our interactions are limited to holding the door for each other or nodding when we cross paths. I’m fine with that culture (and would prefer to keep it that way). The thing is, one of these families (in the apartment right next to mine) owns a pit bull. I have a cat, and when renewing my lease, I noted that my apartment complex bans several dog breeds, including pit bulls. To be perfectly honest, I’m scared of pit bulls, and I’m worried about the possibility of the dog being loose and attacking me or my cat. The dog seems well behaved for now—but you never know when they’ll snap. Should I report this to my apartment complex?

—Maybe I’m Just Biased

MyNameIsNot

Yes, you're biased. The reality is that pit bulls are not inherently aggressive any more than any other breed of dog. Unless they've specifically been trained to attack or fight, they are very unlikely to do anything (unless you mess with them, which is true of any breed.) If you see the dog acting aggressively or off leash, by all means say something. Otherwise, just keep your distance.

Also, keep your cat inside. Cats don't need to be outside anyway, but an apartment complex with a lot of people and cars is particularly dangerous. 

banana468

That said, look at any insurance that you have for the area JIC.   It's not your dog so I think you'd be free and clear but plenty of homeowner's policies will flat out not insure you if you own a dog that is a known aggressive breed.  A family member told me that he flat out lied to his insurance co about the type of dog he had and crossed his fingers.

VarunaTT

LW you never know when any dog will snap.  I'm far more cautious going up to small dogs, b/c the few times I have been bitten, it has been a smaller dog with a Napoleon complex.  You provide no information about if you even know if the family is in communication with the owners and it's rather notorious about how many people don't even know what a "pitbull" actually looks like.  I've owned a pitbull and the only people who recognized him as such, were other pitty owners, b/c he didn't look like the 'normal" (he was mixed with a lab).  Mind your own damn business and keep your cat indoors or otherwise contained if you go outside with it.  All animals need to be leashed outside.

short+sassy

Obviously I'm biased, but the LW should let the complex know their neighbor has a prohibited breed.

I can almost guarantee you it's a prohibited breed for the complex because it's a prohibited breed for their, and most, insurance companies.

In a bad case scenario, it can even affect all the tenants.  The complex's insurance company goes skulking around the exterior areas of the property...and they DO that...sees a prohibited breed dog on the premises.  Now the insurance company can do all kinds of nasty things, depending on state laws.  They can drop the insurance policy entirely or remove all liability coverage related to dogs, with notice given.  If they aren't allowed to do that right away, then the insurance company will non-renew or change the liability terms at renewal.

This leads the apartment complex to shop for new insurance, which can potentially result in a large increase.  Now they're more inclined to raise rents or raise them more as people renew.

I've seen it happen for residential properties and doubt it would be any different for apartment complexes, other than an insurance company might give more leeway to a bigger client.

For a state-specific example, Louisiana Citizens Insurance is an "insurance of last resort".  Which means if no one else will insure you, LCI will.  But even they can refuse to insure you under some circumstances and prohibited dog breeds are one of them.

They have a list of specific dog breeds that are prohibited to be at the property.  They also have one general prohibited breed designation.  "No large terrier breeds".  Which I jokingly call the "we don't care what you call your pit bull, it's a no" policy.