A national canine-advocacy group, an activist actress and countless dog lovers want Denver to reconsider its recently renewed ban on pit bulls.
However, none of Denver’s 13 City Council members is receptive to reconsidering the 16-year-old prohibition. And Mayor John Hickenlooper’s administration, which won a court decision this year rebuffing the state’s effort to nullify the law, intends to keep enforcing it.
“I am opposed to overturning the ban,” Councilwoman Rosemary Rodriguez said last week. “Unequivocally.”
Yet opponents of the law are not deterred. Dozens of dog owners rallied on the steps of the City and County Building last month, calling for the council to “judge the deed, not the breed.” And actress Linda Blair – best known for portraying a demon-possessed girl in the 1973 film “The Exorcist” – has called publicly for Denver to lift the ban.
The American Canine Foundation, a Seattle-based nonprofit advocacy group, sent a draft bill to the Denver city attorney’s office late last month that would forgo an outright ban in favor of stiff penalties for owners of dangerous dogs. Foundation officials recommend laws similar to those in Washington state. There, dog owners are charged with crimes only after their dogs bite someone. And owners of first-time biters must obtain pricey insurance coverage in case of a repeat offense.
“We oppose breed-specific legislation,” foundation vice president Glen Bui said. “It tends to target the responsible owners. What happens is the dog owner has a dog that’s never bitten anybody and shows no signs of aggression, but animal control must seize the dog and it costs the city.”
The foundation has tracked breed-specific bans in more than 200 U.S. cities, but most of those have populations of fewer than 10,000. The largest cities to impose bans are Cincinnati, Miami and Denver.
Meanwhile, 12 states – including Colorado – have passed legislation to prohibit breed-specific bans, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Denver thwarted the state’s attempted intervention in court by citing its status as a home-rule city that passes and enforces its own laws. Thus, Denver reinstated the ban May 9, prompting an outcry from dog advocates.
Blair, whose WorldHeart Foundation arranges adoptions of maligned breeds, might next sound off on Denver’s ban on television. The American Canine Foundation has her lined up to speak on “Inside Edition,” Bui said. And the show’s representatives have contacted various Denver officials too.
“I just got a call from ‘Inside Edition’ on this issue,” Councilman Charlie Brown said last week. “I’m not going to let a Hollywood star influence pit-bull public policy in Denver.”
While each of the 13 council members said separately that they do not support overturning the pit-bull ban, four said they would listen to other suggestions. They added that they favor proactive methods.
“While a case-by-case ‘dangerous dog’ ordinance might be preferable, it could be enforced only after the dog attacks or terrorizes someone,” Councilwoman Kathleen MacKenzie said. “For many people, that’s too high a price to pay.”
Staff writer Kris Hudson can be reached at 303-820-1593 or khudson@denverpost.com.
