Friends,
Washington D.C. is about to make history. On October 1, 2026, landlords in the District will no longer be allowed to turn away a dog because of breed, weight, or size. The law is called Roscoe’s Law, named for a pit bull mix who belonged to the councilmember who wrote it.
It is the kind of law that should not have to exist. But it does, because for millions of renters, a breed restriction is not a minor inconvenience. It is the reason a family has to choose between their home and their dog. It is one of the most common reasons families come to us. The lease changes. The love does not.
The four dogs in this issue did not come to us because of a lease. Each is here for a reason of their own: behavior with another dog in the home, a long foster journey, a household that had grown too full to give each pet what they need. But all four are exactly the kind of dogs Roscoe’s Law was written for. Pit bull. Great Pyrenees. German Shepherd. The breeds, the weights, the sizes that landlords reject before anyone meets the dog. All four will face the same housing reality when they look for their next home.
What they need is someone whose situation lets them say yes. Maybe that is you.
The dog who just wants to be where you are.
6-year-old American Pitbull Terrier | McKinney, TX
Bleux’s ideal day involves a patch of sunlight, a spot on the couch, and whoever is sitting closest to him. He is not complicated. He does not ask for much. He naps, he walks, he leans.
He knows sit, stay, and come. He adapts to routines without fuss and is equally content with an easy walk or a slow afternoon. Wherever you settle, he settles next to you. That is essentially the whole relationship.
His family has loved him for six years and describes him as lovable, very low maintenance, and easy to spoil. They are rehoming him because of occasional, unprovoked moments with their two other dogs at home, and they want to protect both their other dogs and Bleux’s future. Bleux needs to be the only pet in his next home, and he has only ever known an indoor life. With people, he is uncomplicated loyalty. He will be turned away from most rentals before anyone learns any of that.
112 pounds of quiet, consistent love.
3-year-old Great Pyrenees/Saint Bernard mix | Hickory, NC
George weighs 112 pounds and takes up whatever space you give him. Not because he demands it. That is just what 112 pounds does.
He is not a dog who asks for constant affection. He will settle at your feet while you cook dinner. He will lie on the floor next to you during a movie. His love is quiet and consistent, the kind that does not announce itself. When he does lean in, it stays with you.
His foster family has spent the last 15 months building his trust. He knows sit, down, shake, easy, and stay. He needs space and time before close physical contact, and has had one fear-based bite and one separate snap without contact when unfamiliar people moved too quickly toward him. He benefits from thoughtful mealtime management and does best in a home without other male dogs. A professional trainer who evaluated him called him a normal dog with a big heart who needs a patient guide, and has offered to support his next family with video and phone consultations. He is not turned away from rentals because of anything he did. He is turned away because of what he weighs.
A wiggling cuddle champion who needs to be the only dog in the room.
2-year-old German Shepherd mix | Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Bear is 40 pounds of tan and black with a charming white patch on her chest. She knows crate, outside, no, and drop it. If you toss a ball, she is ready for action all day. Inside, she is a world-class cuddle champion: lap climbing, gentle hugs, sweet kisses. She is good with people, has never bitten a human, and has been safe around the children in her family, including a child with special needs.
Her hard chapter is other dogs. Bear has been involved in repeated altercations with another female dog in her home, so her next placement needs to be the only dog in a secure, fenced environment with an experienced guardian.
Her family loves her enough to sponsor her adoption fee on the way out the door. The only thing standing between her and her next home is a landlord whose breed list does not include “German Shepherd.”
A 50-pound shepherd who truly believes he is a lap dog.
2-year-old German Shepherd mix | Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Spike is 50 pounds of striking black coat with a bright white chest patch and a pair of intelligent eyes. He is affectionate, athletic, and convinced he belongs in your lap. Squeaky toys are his treasures. Pools are his happy place. He knows sit, wait, crate, out, no, and come, and he waits patiently for treats with the focus of a dog who wants to do this right.
When he came into his current home, he was very fearful and easily startled. Over the past year and a half, he has grown tremendously. He now seeks affection, initiates play, and looks to his people for reassurance when sirens or strangers throw him off. He has lived peacefully with female dogs and is selective about new ones.
The trust he carries now is the work his family did. They sponsored his adoption fee on the way out the door. He, too, will be turned away from most rentals before anyone meets him.
And here is what it looks like when the right home shows up.
Bella found her yard.
Bella is a black German Shepherd with a loyal stride and a heart that runs deeper than most people expect. Her family raised her from a puppy and loved her completely. When they had to move in with an elderly parent who could not accommodate a large dog, they had to find her a new loving home.
She is now in a peaceful home in Colorado with a family who has years of experience with German Shepherds, three adults home nearly full-time, and a secure yard to roam. They honor her nightly treat tradition and give her the one thing she always needed: enough space and people who are not going anywhere.
A weekly note from Barbie, our canine behaviorist.
Before you sign a lease or commit to an adoption, check the pet policy and be open and honest with your landlord. The fastest way to lose a home for a pet is to discover a restriction after the fact.
Most landlords who say no are picturing the worst dog they have ever heard about. A summary of your dog’s training, vaccinations, behavior history, and daily routine gives them a different starting picture. Calm and organized beats charming every time. If you are renting with a dog who is on a breed list, lead with structure.
A PawFax is exactly that, structured. It is the verified pet history report we built for moments like this: one document that covers complete medical, behavioral, and care records. Something a landlord can review before saying no.
A few things that help:
$30 off Rover services with code JOYFUL30, for the days a 50-pound shepherd or 112-pound Pyrenees needs a caring check-in while you are away.
$20 Chewy eGift Card when you spend $49 on your first order, perfect for stocking up on the bigger crate, the sturdier leash, and the rope toys that survive a real chew.
$50 off a Dutch membership for unlimited virtual vet care, especially useful for first-week settling-in questions that do not need a clinic visit.
Over 7,000 families have reached out to us. They have been facing job loss, medical crises, housing emergencies. They love their pets. They are doing everything they can. The resources sometimes run out before the love does.
Your generosity is what closes that gap. Last week, a generous supporter sponsored the rehoming service for a family who needed it, which means one more pet stayed with a guardian who knew them and their story. That is what this fund does.
With your support, families can keep their beloved pets through difficult moments or, if needed, rehome them with care and dignity rather than entering a shelter. Your support allows us to:
Help families in crisis keep their pets with targeted financial support
Cover rehoming service fees for families who cannot afford them
Provide emergency foster care when a pet needs a safe place quickly
Ensure pets are supported with compassion, whether they stay with their families or begin a thoughtful rehoming journey
Thank you for being part of our story, and for helping families and pets stay connected.
Bleux, George, Bear, and Spike are not hard to love. They are hard to house. If you know someone who owns their home or rents somewhere that does not restrict by breed or size, send this their way. And if this newsletter found you through a friend, subscribe so you never miss a week.
Subscribe to Joyful Pets Weekly →
For the ones the lease forgot,
Lauren & the Joyful Pets team
P.S. Bear and Spike’s families have already sponsored their adoption fees. The only thing standing between these dogs and home is a lease that says yes.
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