I’m writing to create awareness to the cause of protecting ring-necked doves from insurance discrimination from Nationwide. I had wanted to obtain Nationwide pet insurance (the only insurance option for birds) for my ring-necked dove named “Chicken” (pictured above), but was told that Nationwide chooses not to cover them. I asked the representative for more details and he told me he consulted with underwriting, which told him that the reason is due to doves being considered wildlife by Nationwide. However, on the list of species covered, mynahs were included which are also “wildlife” in Florida (the state of the holder seeking coverage). By simply typing into Google “doves for pets,” many guides for pet care and options to purchase from pet shops come up. Shame on Nationwide for discriminating against and giving a reason that doesn’t make sense, to reiterate, on account of the following:

• Doves are considered pets everywhere else

• Mynahs are also “wildlife,” and yet are covered

This being the case, it feels as if the underwriters simply have their own biases against doves and made up the wildlife excuse on the spot to the representative as a pretense to exclude Chicken. In not finding the value in human bonds with doves and apparently viewing them as “street creatures” unworthy of coverage, Nationwide also ultimately discriminates against owners of doves (I feel personally offended) and are attempting to dictate people’s choices of pets (because it discourages ownership of doves, as they cannot have policies).

This is the equivalent to telling a parent that they are unable to obtain an insurance policy for their adopted child because he or she is of a different race from their biological kids. I request for this policy to be reviewed and changed so that:

• Nationwide upholds its values and the equity of a species

• Nationwide doesn’t contradict itself and come across as capricious and unethical to its policy holders

Do your part today to demand equal insurance coverage of pets By Nationwide and #enddovediscrimination by signing this petition and directly putting pressure on the company to enact this change to their policy rules!!