Q: Dear Scott,
I need some advice; I feel like I’m at my wit’s end.
It’s my understanding that they are going to impose a ban on pit bulls in Aurora. Although I don’t understand how someone can just ban one certain breed of dog, it really sounds like it is going to happen.
Here’s my problem: obviously I have two pit bulls, and these dogs are like part of my family. One, who we will call “J,” is
like 13 years old in people years; we’ve had her since she was just 8 weeks old. The other is one of “J”‘s pups, she is like 6 years old now — we will call her “F.”
These are very friendly dogs. They have been raised as inside dogs, and are very gentle. Never had a problem with either of them.
In fact, when our home was robbed a couple of years ago, they were inside, and actually let this person come into our home and take what they wanted, without doing anything, except for maybe beg for a snack. That’s how mean they are.
Anyway, how can I fight this ban? I don’t want to, and won’t get rid of these members of my family.
Yhey tell me I have the option of moving, but I’m not renting, so I can’t just give my 30 days notice and find another
place. We have worked two and three jobs at a time to buy our home, so we have something to pass on to our daughter one day.
Do you have any advice on how to keep our family together, short of selling our family home? I really need help!
I don’t want to be a law breaker, but I guess I will if I have to. Do you have any advice for me????
– Pit Owner in Aurora
SCOTT: Being a fellow dog lover, I empathize with you, and I’m sure many others do as well. I even know a woman who listed her house and moved out of Denver because of the ban. How sad.
I’ve never had a pit bull, so I can’t share first-hand knowledge of the breed, but I can say that generally, a dog’s behavior is the result of actual breeding and environment. Many people are in support of stricter laws on poor ownership rather than breed-specific legislation.
Also, the pit bull laws appear to be based on fear and isolated incidents, because of dogs raised improperly and unsocialized to show negative temperaments. People who raise dogs that way should be held accountable, not
the poor dogs!
If you want to take a chance and keep your “indoor” dogs inside and count on the kindness of your neighbors not to narc on you, then that’s your choice.
It’s a tough one, and I don’t blame you for your decision either way. I’ve got a German shepherd, and I’ve heard so many myths about that breed. If there was a German shepherd ban, I’d move, but I can’t tell you to do the same.
I’m not you so that decision is entirely yours, my friend.
Pit bulls are banned in some cities in the U.S., including Denver, Cincinnati and Miami as well as in several cities across Canada. How can you fight the Denver ban? You can’t.