Pet Peeve

Article

By Raleigh Doodle, CPCU

I have a bone to pick with the insurance industry. Why is an industry that loses billions on cat losses every year so hot under the collar about dogs?

We all know there’s a problem. According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites now fetch about $346 million, accounting for about one-quarter of all homeowners insurance liability claims, and the number of cases is rising. But it’s not fair to blame all dogs for the sins of a few. There are an estimated 50 million dogs in the United States but only about 10 percent cause claims. Talk about the tail wagging the dog!

Most insurers cover homeowners with dogs, that is until there is a biting incident. Then insurers retreat with their tails between their legs. Why are underwriters acting like scaredy-cats over dogs? Because they only hear about the bad puppies. They don’t know about the good dogs or the good things dogs do:

In Richland, Wash., Leana Beasley’s 4-year-old Rottweiler, Faith, phoned 911 and barked for help when Beasley fell out of her wheelchair. The furry friend even unlocked the door for the police.

U.S. Customs officials use dogs to intercept prohibited fruits and plants. Recently, one detector dog helped sniff out 20 Mediterranean fruit flies, averting a disaster for Florida’s citrus industry. The dog, Trouble, has seized 1,800 dangerous products in his five years.

Then there is Kilo, a black Labrador retriever who has assisted in more than 150 searches and helped recover 11 homicide victims in the coastal areas of Louisiana.

Who can forget the heroics of the rescue dogs at Ground Zero and the Pentagon following the horrific attacks of Sept. 11? Years later, the dogs are still being studied for health effects caused by the conditions at the crash sites.

Dogs are being used to hunt down mold. Bootz, a Labrador-Great Dane mix in Pennsylvania, is one of about 40 mold-sniffing dogs.

In Surfside Beach, S.C., not too long ago, about 200 people showed up at a memorial service for a co-worker, Dezo, a German Shepherd canine officer. According to the Sun News, four officers stood guard around Dezo’s casket. The public safety director spoke about Dezo’s bravery. A Garth Brooks impersonator performed. After the tribute there was a procession to Hillcrest Cemetery, where Dezo was buried with complete police honors in the pet section as bagpipes played.

It’s clear that, contrary to the popular image of canines as dumb and lazy, most pets are intelligent, hard working, obedient members of their communities. Some dog owners even work as underwriters. While humans say it’s impossible to teach an old underwriter new tricks, I just can’t let sleeping dogs lie. Now, about those cat losses.

Doodle is a Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle mix. He is a past president of the Society of Chartered Protective Canine Underwriters (CPCU). He is president of K-9 Special Risks in Barkeyville, Pa., and Dog Walk, Ky. Doodle can be reached at rdoodle@comcast.net.

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