Lakewood – The City Council tossed aside an outright ban on pit bulls Monday night but agreed to develop better ways to deal with dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners.
In a room crowded with onlookers, the council decided to beef up existing ordinances and vicious-dog regulations and study the city’s first-ever licensing of all dogs.
The council also wants to continue working with other Jefferson County jurisdictions on a model law that would be adopted by the county and all of its cities to help halt dog-shifting from one jurisdiction to another.
In mid-March, the city staff will return with a framework and cost analyses of possible approaches.
Fears about pit bulls – and their numbers – have increased in Lakewood as other cities banned or restricted the dogs.
“It’s more about the owner than the dog,” Councilman Ed Peterson said. Colleague Ray Elliott agreed, saying, “It sounds like the irresponsible owner is at the heart of this.”
Police and animal-control officers told the council that the pit-bull problem is citywide. The situation is especially acute on the city’s eastern edge along the Sheridan Boulevard boundary shared with Denver, which reinstated its ban in May.
The list of cities putting limits on pit bulls includes Aurora, Commerce City, Lone Tree, Louisville and Castle Rock. Among those considering ordinances are Arvada, Lafayette, Littleton and Thornton.
“Every time a jurisdiction passes a law, we will see a jump in pit bulls,” said Ben Drotar, marketing director at Table Mountain Animal Center. After Denver reinstated its ban, 20 pit bulls appeared on Table Mountain’s doorstep the next morning.
Up to half of the dogs handed over to Table Mountain – Jefferson County’s only public animal center – are pit bulls,which are less likely to be adopted and more likely to be euthanized.
The center tests the pit bulls’ behavior and tries to adopt them out, unlike other animal shelters. But, Drotar said, “There are more coming in than we can handle.”
Nick Fisher, the center’s executive director, said the Coalition for Living Safely With Dogs, an animal-welfare group, is working with cities on the issues.
“A breed-specific law does not address the social issues of irresponsible pet owners,” he said.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
