I, too, am more of a cat person than a dog person. However, I've been caring for my daughter's mini-dachshund for several months now, since she is not living in a place where the pooch thrives, and he has certainly wormed his way into my heart. "Needy" is an understatement with this one, though.
It would be great if all pet owners were responsible pet owners. I don't like to see pets singled out for being banned, either, but if is often the result of too many people handling their pets irresponsibly. Human nature can be frustrating, and common courtesy seems to be extinct.