the pit bull doctor’s story

When Dr. Megan (The Pit Bull Dr.) made the decision to bring a pit bull type dog (American Staffordshire Terrier) into her life, she couldn’t have imagined the transformation that would result. Suddenly, she became aware of the ways that policies like breed restrictions, breed specific legislation, and breed discrimination limited her options for safe, equitable housing without any consideration of her dog Justice’s actual personality or behavior. Justice was immediately written off and deemed “aggressive,” “vicious,” or “potentially dangerous” because of her breed and classification as a pit bull. Despite Justice’s certifiably friendly and outgoing temperament and the extensive training Dr. Megan completed with Justice, in navigating housing, Megan and Justice were still subjected to breed discrimination policies disguised as home owner’s insurance breed restrictions.

Dr. Megan immediately noticed the similarities in the ways all pit bull type dogs were treated and the ways Black people have historically been treated in America. Often, groups of people are also written off as unworthy of safe housing and stereotyped as aggressive without any consideration of their actual personality. This realization ignited Dr. Megan’s passion for not only overcoming the discrimination, stereotyping and mistreatment she faced with Justice, but to support other people facing those same barriers who may not have the same ability to advocate for themselves.