This bill was heard in the Nevada State Senate in May 2021, and approved by the Governor in July. Thanks to your support, we were able to make a huge difference in the lives of pets and their guardians!

The SPCA of Northern Nevada has been working with the HSUS Nevada representative, Jeff Dixon, and our state animal welfare partners on a priority state bill to keep people and their pets together in Nevada.

It is Senate Bill 103 and we’re asking our supporters and community to please join us in support of this bill, which is sponsored by Senator Melanie Scheible. There is a committee hearing tomorrow on Wednesday 2/24, and many of our state animal welfare leaders, including our executive director Jill Vacchina Dobbs, will testify in support of this bill.

The following state senators are already in support of the bill:

 In Nevada, it is currently legal for property insurance companies to significantly increase costs or deny property insurance coverage altogether for households with specific breeds of dogs. There is no credible evidence to support this unjustified policy, and the list of restricted breeds varies widely across companies.

Senate Bill 103 would improve protections for dog-owning households by prohibiting insurers from using the breed of a dog in determining property insurance coverage. Instead, each dog would be judged independently based upon its own temperament and behavior, regardless of its breed. This critical change will allow homeowners and renters to keep their pets. This bill will also allow landlords full insurance coverage, which will allow many of them who want to provide pet-friendly housing the ability to do so.

You can view the bill’s entire text here: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/81st2021/Bill/7406/Text

Here is how our community can advocate for Senate Bill 103:

Email your Senator

Please look up your state senator here, and ask them to SUPPORT S.B. 103. We need as much support as we can get for this bill before its hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee next Wednesday, February 24. Please personalize this message as much as you can — sharing why keeping pets and families together is important to you — and please if possible attach a photo of you and your dog to underline that pets are family members regardless of breed. If you happen to have a dog that would be considered breed-restricted then emphasize that as well (common restrictions include Pitbulls, German shepherds, Great Danes, Doberman pinschers, Chows, Giant Schnauzers, Boxers, Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, and more). The more personal stories from pet parents of restricted breeds that we can get in front of lawmakers, the better. 

***If your member is in the list below, then they are a part of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. Please email your member and ask them to support SB 103 when it is heard at the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee THIS Wednesday, February 24.

Committee members:

Pat Spearman – Chair – District 1 Pat.Spearman@sen.state.nv.us

Dina Neal – Vice Chair – District 4 Dina.Neal@sen.state.nv.us

Melanie Scheible (bill sponsor) – District 9 Melanie.Scheible@sen.state.nv.us

Roberta Lange – District 7 Roberta.Lange@sen.state.nv.us

Joseph P. Hardy – District 12 Joe.Hardy@sen.state.nv.us

James A. Settelmeyer – District 17 James.Settelmeyer@sen.state.nv.us

Keith F. Pickard – District 20 Keith.Pickard@sen.state.nv.us

Please send your email to your state senator, and please PERSONALIZE the message as much as you can – the highlighted portion of the below sample language is a great place to personalize your message to your legislator. Again, attach a photograph of you and your dog if you have one.

Thank you for helping Nevada’s pets and people!

Sample Email

“Dear Senator ______, 

As your constituent, I am writing to ask you to please cosponsor Senate Bill 103 (Scheible), which will be heard at the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on Wednesday, February 24th. Senate Bill 103 would improve protections for dog-owning households by prohibiting insurers from utilizing the breed of a dog in determining property insurance coverage. Instead, it would set forth the limitations consistent with existing state law that prohibits breed discrimination by state or local public bodies. Each dog should be judged independently, based upon its own temperament and behavior, regardless of its breed. As a pet parent myself, I feel strongly that people and their pets should always be kept together, and insurance discrimination should not be a barrier to people keeping their pets. As you can see from the photo I am including, pets are beloved family members regardless of their breed. This bill would remove housing barriers for thousands of responsible Nevadan dog owners. It would also give landlords the full insurance coverage they are entitled to and enable them to provide more pet-friendly housing without restricting certain breed types. Thank you for your time and consideration.”

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