AURORA | City council is again poised to chew on Aurora’s controversial pit bull ban.
Eight years after the ban became law, and with fewer than 100 of the controversial dogs living legally in Aurora, city council is expected to vote next month on whether to lift the ban.
At a meeting Tuesday that drew so many pit bull advocates it had be moved into the sprawling council chambers, the city’s Public Safety Committee opted to send the measure — which is being pushed by Councilwoman Renie Peterson — to the full council for consideration at a meeting early next month.
If six members of city council side with Peterson’s plan, pit bulls would again be allowed to live in Aurora if the owners follow certain restrictions, including buying an insurance policy that would cover much of the cost of an attack.
Peterson said she expects the vote to be very close.
“You just don’t really know until you get there,” she said.
The city’s Animal Care division has come out against lifting the ban, arguing it has worked well and lifting it would mean a flood of pit bulls from other metro-area cities where the dogs are still banned.
“The ban on pit bulls continues to effectively work as intended,” animal control staffers wrote in a memo urging council to keep the ban.
About 50 other cities around the country have lifted their ban in recent years, according to figures from Aurora Animal Control. Still, more than 500 cities around the country and several other nations still ban certain breeds.
Among the cities that have lifted their bans are Cincinnati, Ohio, and Topeka, Kans.
Topeka City Councilwoman Karen Hiller, who pushed the repeal in Topeka in 2010, said that when she first set about repealing the measure, she wanted to bring everyone concerned to the table and try to hammer out a consensus.
“That’s not easy to do with animal rights people, I learned,” she said. “It can be difficult to get consensus and work together on those kinds of issues.”
But one point everyone could agree on was that they didn’t want dangerous behavior from any dogs. From that point, Hiller said city lawmakers over the course of about 15 months were able to hammer out a deal that allows pit bulls in the city and has proven to be popular.
There have been a few pit bull attacks since the repeal, Hiller said, but lawmakers haven’t seen much blowback as a result. Hiller said that’s because the process to repeal was so long and the community had ample opportunity for input.
“People knew what was happening, and they knew why,” she said.
In Cincinnatti, where city council lifted the ban in 2012, Councilman Chris Seelbach said the move has been a popular one.
While there have been a few attacks since the ban was lifted, Seelbach said they haven’t become a political flashpoint, though he expected them to be. Part of the reason for that lack of controversy, Seelbach said, may be that the ban wasn’t popular, and lifting it had wide support in the community.
“The real reason that dogs bite is not because they are born vicious,” he said. “It’s because they have been raised by bad owners or mistreated.”
Under Aurora’s current rules, three breeds of dogs commonly recognized as pit bulls — American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers — are banned within the city limits. When city council first enacted the ban in 2005, there were 10 breeds barred from the city, but council in 2011 softened the ban to just three breeds and gave owners a chance to have their dog DNA-tested to prove whether they were in fact a banned breed.
Dogs who were already in the city at the time of the ban were allowed to stay if their owners paid a registration fee and followed certain restrictions.
According to the city’s numbers, about 90 registered pit bulls remain in the city, down from about 500 when the ban took effect. The city has destroyed more than 1,100 restricted-breed dogs since the ban.
Peterson said her plan calls for lifting the ban, but requiring owners of the three banned breeds to carry homeowners or renters insurance. It also increases the cost of a fine for owners of dogs that bite someone. Councilwoman Barb Cleland, who supports repeal, said she would like the city to still require pit bull owners use a muzzle any time they have their dog on a leash outside the home.
Under the ban, Peterson said there are people in Aurora who have pit bulls, but don’t get the dogs vaccinated or take them to the veterinarian out of fear that the dog will be seized.
“At least we are giving the people who are underground now the opportunity to come out,” she said.
Debates regarding the ban have often been acrimonious over the years, and some pit bull advocates are hoping to avoid that this time around.
Jennifer Bryant, community outreach director for ColoRADogs, a nonprofit that has been working with Peterson to lift the ban, said she has asked other advocates to keep the discussion calm and friendly.
“We could have some really productive discussion on how to move forward in Aurora if we can keep the discussion focused,” she said. “There is no reason for vitriol.”
Opponents of the ban hope if Aurora drops its ban it could lead to similar measures in other states.
Juliet Piccone, a lawyer who has represented several clients cited for having a banned breed, said Aurora is an important first step in Colorado.
“That is the hope, but Denver is the one we really need to work on,” she said.
Denver’s ban has been in place since 1989.
Piccone has a pit bull mix of her own named Ginger. The dog likely would have been barred from Aurora before city council loosened the rules for pit bulls in 2011. After that, dog owners are allowed to DNA test their dog to prove the pooch is less than 50 percent of one of the banned breeds.
“The
real reason that dogs bite is not because they are born vicious,” he
said. “It’s because they have been raised by bad owners or mistreated.” –
See more at:
https://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/animal-attraction-city-ponders-letting-pit-bulls-back-aurora/#sthash.fDIpC2Me.dpuf
Hi MJC- Could we get a reference for your stats? We have yet to come across a peer reviewed article to confirm that.
However, we would encourage you to peruse the latest peer reviewed article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Their study was a multi-year one that looked at factor related to dog bites and fatalities. They found many similar factors in each bite or attack. However, breed was not one of them.
BOOM 😉 In all seriousness, people, please cite your sources, in general.
Only expect jibberish from MJC. There are no valid statistics to back up one single word that they spew.
Exactly; I can’t UNTRAIN my Pointer not to sniff and point. That is her nature. She will be careful not to when I am around but she will inevitably do it, the first chance that she gets. It is her breeding. Genetic memory.
Pit bull looking dogs are not programmed to attack people. Please show some facts where that was bred into them. For the love of god, please prove this for me. So it’s safe to assume that if I turn my back on my mixed breed American Staffordshire, she’ll rip a child or elderly ladies throat out? It’s not in their genetics. Its not in their genetic memory. Mine must have come from a long line of genetically bred dogs to be happy, face licking, couch/bed hogging pit bulls. But wait, you’ll probably say they are time-bombs waiting to go off. Any dog is capable of that. Your dog, my dog, the mayors dog. Except we won’t hear about it if it’s your dog or the mayors dog who injures someone. Because they won’t sell papers or increase ratings. I was bit in the face by my friends black lab when I was a kid. A dog I’d known for 2 years and played with before. I was petting him and he jumped up and grabbed my face. All I could see was teeth and throat. His teeth ripped through my cheek. His k9’s were rubbing my against my teeth. I still have the scar 43 years later. With your way of thinking, I should demand Black Labs be banned. Because to attack children by the face is obviously bred into them. But I don’t because that’s ridiculous. I’ve played with several Black Labs in the last week at a local dog park we take our dogs to. No blood baths caused by them or my dogs. It’s all individual dogs, just like people. I was raised to be respectful of people. My neighbors weren’t. Utter white trash with no respect for anyone or themselves. They should be banned. People like them have
created this problem we’re debating now. Ban stupid people. Not my well raised, loving dogs. It’s depressing that we cannot live in a neighborhood we want and work hard for because of the ignorance of my little sweet dog. Now we have to live surrounded by it. I fought and defended our country and your rights. And to have people make ignorant rules based on facts skewed in their favor and media hysteria in a few cities, against federal law, is a slap in my face. Dogs that do crazy things do it for a reason. Because of how they were raised and how they are treated. Beat your dog, Lock it in a small area with no opportunity to socialize. Encourage it to bark at everyone passing by your home. Make it into a high energy sociopath with no outlet for its energy. Then let it out of your yard. I bet you it attacks someone irregardless of what is in his genetics are or his breed.
Looks like you are having a fine time debating yourself with all of your imagined answers to your questions. Good luck with your ‘sweet little dog’. I truly hope not to read about you, your family, or neighbors on the news that comes through on a daily basis about your loving dog ‘licking’ one of you to DEATH.
Silly, angry troll…nobody gets licked to death. Especially not death in all caps. ‘Cause that is big for realsies death. Much like the rest of your comments, that one has no basis in fact. Your attempt at a condescending tone in your comments has come across as plaintive at best. Your attempts at shocking people are also pretty silly. Calling people “nutters” is incredibly tired. We have heard it all before. This is a case of the walnut calling the almond…..well, that metaphor doesn’t really go anywhere, but you get the idea. Please, if you are going to be insulting, at least be original. Otherwise, you are just a bore. Now please go back to teaching your pointer not to sniff. Sounds like the perfect occupation for you.
You heard it but you are not listening. My message is not for you or your kind, it is for the poor future victim that may be on the fence — they may make the decision that saves their lives by choosing a better type of dog. (not a Pointer, they are silly; pick a herd dog!)
I read what you said more than once, but you did not say any of that in your writing. I am going to say that is why I didn’t get that message. Mostly because words mean things. I don’t know how someone would go about choosing a “better type of dog”, nor do I know what that would be? A better type of dog for what? If you are planning on running the Iditarod, there are dogs which are more suited to pulling sleds than a pit-type dog. They probably don’t make good “purse dogs” either. Unless you carry a large purse. Or just a rolling duffle perhaps? If you are in need of a hypoallergenic dog, these don’t fit the bill. A pitty-poo might though. Kind of has a nice ring to it. There are documented cases of English Springer Spaniels killing their owners amongst other seemingly incapable breeds, so I guess those are included in your focus? A quick google search came up with 7 near fatal attacks by blue heelers on the first page alone – most, but not all of those were children. 4 attacks were listed for Australian Shepherds on page one when I searched by that breed. So your logic is deeply flawed.
Nope. https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/11/03/most-dangerous-dog-breeds.html Pit bull is #1 – Heeler #10. Heelers do nip and tackle: that is their nature, they herd. Pit bulls shred, tear, and eviscerate.
Opponents argue that pit bulls are more likely to attack. But the ASPCA, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and some other groups have recommend against breed-specific laws. They cite a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association on Sept. 15, 2000.
The study, which focused on fatal dog attacks, notes difficulties identifying various breeds (particularly mixed breeds) and in calculating a bite rate. The researchers noted that there isn’t consistent data on breed populations and bites, especially when the injury isn’t serious enough to require an ER visit.
Pit bulls are incorrectly identified as often as 100% of the time by shelter personnel – and those are people who are TRAINED to identify the breeds. So who is saying that these dogs are pit bulls? When I lived in Texas, my neighbors absolutely freaked out when my leashed dog barked at their kids (whom he wanted to play with). She yelled that my pit bull wanted to attack her children and had tried to bite them. The dog in question? An AKC yellow Lab. Your turn.
Back to the real world and sanity. Enjoy yourself in here, anonymous troll.
OMG! You have really imbibed on the Kool-Aide. The ASPCA is one of the MOST guilty of promoting these baby eating things. Look, just Google “Pit Bull Attack” under the news tab. These stats from 2000 don’t impress me.
Look at current facts.
Don’t “Yellow Lab” me, I know all dogs can bite. The ‘mixed’ breeds that annihilate people are most likely polluted with a Molosser dog!
Look at the real photos and read the stories of what these people (owners and innocent citizens) have suffered! If you are so blind by your love of this type of beast (which is really a reflection of your own impotence), that you can’t see the mayhem, then I can do nothing for you and will not respond to you again.
The american Pit bull scored an 86.8% on the American temperament test that’s with in the top 5 breeds according to the American temperament test society. Also the original use for the breed is still debated but companionship, farming, or controlling large game are always speculated. They weren’t used for fighting until later, that being said fighting dogs are breed not to harm humans (incase the need to break up the fight or whatever)
You’re remedial. You sound like the kind of person that secretly doesn’t want non-christians and minorities living near you,either. I’ve had my dogs at 2 different dog parks just today and they behaved like every other dog there. Even better than most. Stop being so closed minded and stop believing everything you see and hear on tv and from the media. People like you cause so much pain and anguish for other people who just want to get along.
Remedial? Ok, well I will tell you what you are NOT–insightful. I *am* the non-christian minority in my neighborhood. I believe my eyes and experience. Those dogs are a menace and so are the owners that insis their landsharks are ‘sweet’. You are the reason I don’t take mine to dog parks. They ruin parks, hikes, and neighborhoods.
“Irregardless” is not a
word. This highlights your educational and comprehension level. Just a
free tutoring session: “Regardless” is a word and “irrespective” is a word…they
did not have a mutant pit bull baby and name it “Irregardless”. You are
welcome.
I applaud CM Peterson for making an effort to lift the ban. However, I have little faith she will have the backing by co-council members or, the board of public safety to make it happen.
It is not the breed of the dog but rather the training and containment of the dog that matters.
I’d like to know if this city owns dogs of other breeds that have bitten people minus a command to do so?
From the data I’ve been able to find, most of which is a few years old but still post-restrictions, approximately 95% of the dog bites, and a similar percentage of severe dog bites in Aurora, have been from non-restricted breeds. Aurora keeps very detailed numbers on this activity.
What about the K-9 dogs at the police department? Have they ever bitten a patrol officer or a citizen out of the blue?
I don’t know the answer to that question specific to Aurora. However, that absolutely does happen on occasion. Most vicious dog laws exempt police dogs while working.
The answer specific to Aurora is yes.
Good job, Aurora! A step in the right direction. Let’s put an end to these discriminatory practices. Signed – a Lafayette resident.
I understand the importance of public safety, however, I believe the tax payer money allocated for upholding these restrictions could be used in more positive, useful ways such as veterinary care (especially low cost spay and neuter) and education.
All dogs are individuals. I know you have heard this before, but it is the truth and the most important part of this debate. Every dog’s DNA is different, even pure breed dogs from the same litter all have different DNA. Genetics and environmental factors all play a part in a dog’s behavior.
Not only is BSL discriminatory, it is simply irrational to enforce a law that is based on propaganda and fear. It does not apply to responsible members of society. It applies to individuals who do not respect animals or the law. In a paper published by The Animals and Society Institute, Janis Bradley states that “one insurmountable difficulty with breed bans will remain. This is the fact that they do not decrease the appeal of owning dogs with a popular reputation and persistent media portrayal as aggressive. Some people seek out such dogs for protection, some for dog fighting competition, some for fostering a macho image, and some simply for financial gain by breeding puppies to sell to people with any of these motives. Banning specific breed(s) does nothing to deter people from satisfying these motives, as all people so motivated need do is shift their attention to another breed, and then selectively breed and raise the dogs for elevated levels of aggression and tendency to bite hard enough to injure.” Another significant point Bradley makes with statistical, fact-based research states “studies show no impact on bite rates following breed-ban legislation. Moreover, no credible evidence has been presented to demonstrate that any particular breeds, including Rottweilers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and American Pit Bull Terriers are overrepresented among biting dogs.”
Funds need to go toward shelters so they can provide low cost spaying and neutering and more resources for matching potential adopters with the appropriate dogs. Fines need to be given to individuals like the ones referred to in Bradley’s paper. This is the logical, cost-effective way to provide peace of mind to your city.
Hi MJC,
Do you mind sharing where you got some of this information?:
“a person attacked by a pit bull is 2500 times more likely to suffer serious, life-altering injuries than one attacked by an ordinary dog”
“pit bulls attack purely for the fun of attacking because that is what they were bred to do”
I haven’t found any sort of scholarly research stating these things, but if you know otherwise, I would love it if you shared it with the rest of the community.
Thanks!
Those kind of supposed stats are made up. The actual scientific community is virtually unanimous in opposing Breed Specific Legislation. No veterinary society supports it, nor the ASPCA. The anti ‘pit bull’ ranters also use CDC information out of context to try to advance their point but that research organization as well has made it crystal clear it does not believe BSL is a wise public policy.
I don’t even think it’s worth it to track down what particular combination of distortions or half truths results in this claim of ‘2500 times more likely’. Again if statistics like that were really valid, why would there be virtually no support for BSL among people with actual animal science or veterinary credentials? I think that’s the question to always stick with when dealing with the pro-BSL people, because they can never answer it, except with wild conspiracy theories which further show what kind of people they actually are.
I thought as much. I am actually a huge advocate of the appeal of BSL in my hometown, but I think it is important to use articles like these as a venue for both sides to learn something. I would love to see where MJC got their information so we can look over its validity as a community.
Read dogsbite.org. despite the naysayers that say this site is filled with lies, it is actually the only truthful site on the web.
I’d say that the CDC, National Canine Research Council, and the AVMA are statistically more accurate – after all, they base their information on facts, police reports, necropsies, etc.. Dogsbite.org uses mostly media reports for their statistics. As Public Enemy says “Don’t believe the hype!” (thats appropriate)
The National Canine Research Council sound impressive, but it’s actually a pitbull advocacy group.
You can use statistics to prove anything you want.
52% of all people know that,
You forgot locking jaws. And their bite strength? Stronger than a lion’s? I’ve heard one pit bull can take down an adult sasquatch or a unicorn. It’s all how you raise your dog. And no dog should be left alone with children. And they should be socialized with other dogs. I’m sure most of the attacks from stray dogs have been because that dog was raised wrong and not socialized. And I’m sure some bites are not actual bites. Dogs don’t have hands. They use their mouths. And most well socialized dogs are sweeter than most people. (A jogger reached down to pet our American Bulldog puppy without asking when he was maybe 2 months old and teething. (We were socializing him with other dogs.) He tried to chew on the guys hand as any puppy will do. He threatened to call animal control. People are so uneducated, it’s scary and is costing innocent lives.)
No dogs of any variety have locking jaws. We have lots of evidence now that supports it is not even how a dog is raised. Many canines of all kinds have been rescued from horrible circumstances where they were not cared for or raised in optimal settings. They have however been able with responsible owners, training, good care and support even become Canine Good Citizens, Certified Therapy Dogs, and some have specialty gifts such as being able to know in advance before their human has a seizure, or where they have a cancer. Again, if we make all laws and legislation inclusive then we make everyone responsible for their canines regardless of what they look like. Prejudice and profiling have not proven effective. Responsible ownership key.
I was being sarcastic. I have a rescue pittie. I’ve always had pittie type dogs since I was responsible enough to have a dog of my own. They are great animals. And can be very loving and smart if shown kindness, love and guidance. But some people are so closed minded they would like to see them ripped from loving families and put down for their own safety. they should have to be there to comfort the family once their dog is confiscated and killed and explain why they think ts right to them. Because they’re scared and refuse to look past media made hysteria.
Hi Matt,
I did understand your sarcasm, just decided to use that place to speak to some of the folks right above that and beyond that drank the sensationalism Kool-Aid so thought I would take that opportunity to fight the unicorns with you. Warmly, BNL
The first figure comes from the April 2011 “Annals of Surgery.” Of course, pit bull proponents do not consider a study conducted by emergency room physicians who treat those injured by pit bulls “scholarly” because it tells the truth about what these land sharks can do to a human being in a matter of minutes.
I plainly stated in my post that if one watched a video of pit bulls attacking, they would see them wagging their tails and enjoying themselves as they proceeded to rip some animal or human to shreds. If you’ve ever watched two pit bulls fighting each other, the same thing is evident — the pit bulls enjoy themselves while they are trying to kill the other dog, which is what makes such fights entertaining to those who are into dog-fighting. The fighting style and demeanor of two ordinary dogs — dogs that have no pit bull in them — is totally different than that of pit bulls and isn’t entertaining because the two dogs (unlike pit bulls) attempt to intimidate and defeat the other animal by growling, raising hackles, etc.
You’re a complete f***ing moron. “Pit Bulls enjoy themselves as they’re fighting….”?
Try to do a bit of research before opening your ignorant mouth.
Thank you Ann!!!!!
They don’t “enjoy themselves as they are fighting” as you so blindly put it.. As with ANY dog breed the way they are raised is the biggest key in a loving friend and companion. Any dog raised in a negative environment will have a negative attitude. These dogs are denied food, females are bread to the point it kills them, tied to posts as bait dogs for others to “practice on”, abused, taunted, thrown in a pit with PEOPLE yelling, fists flailing (an angry environment) where their “master” is telling them to attack. It is a cruel, sick, sad place for these dogs to be.. And all this to please a sick minded “master” for a so called “entertainment”.. Again, I say, ANY larger breed can be put in this situation by a cruel and sick minded PERSON.. It is not just “pit bulls”.
They were only given this name in the States when this so called “sport” came over from the back alleys of England. Their true name is American Staffordshire Terrier. They are a loving, loyal, generous dog. I have had several breeds of dog in my time. When we adopted him, we had recently had to find another home for a Doxi mix for snapping at our infant son in the face simply for crawling by.. Our pits first reaction to our son, was kisses.. Six years later, our son still gets kisses, repeatedly.. Our “pit” grew up with LOVE and he returns it every day..DON’T JUDGE THE BREED, JUDGE THE IDIOTS!!!!
So you have watched dog fights? Perhaps you should review the evidence in “Out of the Pit.” It’s a documentary about when man’s best friend is singled out and forced to fight for human entertainment and profit. Behaviorists will tell you that a wagging tail symbolizes many things. If you were forced to fight for your life and there were no real winners, all lose with eventual injuries, death, killed for losing and then if you survive, the blood borne illness Babesia. It is a human cruelty and sick behavior that victimizes animals. That’s again who is responsible, the human. You can get a copy http://www.Izzyworksfilms.com or watch mine.
I am also an RN and spent five years working in a level one trauma center and surgeons that have treated humans bitten by canines are not professionals in identifying what kind of dog bite they are treating. All bites are bad. I have cared for people who were bitten or had human fights where when punching another human in the face got cut by the recipients teeth. Any break in our skin by any source can cause nasty infections. Not only are human bites bad but what is on the skin before it is broken open is another source for infection. No one supporting inclusive legislation wants humans to be suffering dog bites from any dog of any kind. Again, inclusive legislation means all must be responsible for their pets no matter what they look like or what they are. It is not going to exclude anyone from being responsible.
How do you know whats going thru an aminal’s brain? Belgian Malinois wag their tail when chasing down and capturing a criminal for the police. So do German Shephards.
https://youtu.be/AIzkulSz8AI
Look at that tail go. Dogs want to please. And dogs have a prey drive. Any dog can be taught or pushed to attack or fight.
You are a bit delusional MJC. No, you are a lot delusional!
you must not be a dog owner because ALL dogs wag their tails when they are stressed (as well as when they are happy). Take a class in dog behavior before you make ignorant responses
Aside from wanting to Please, tails are also used for balance
Pit bulls were not bread for attacking for the fun of it. They were originally bread as a working dog from as far back as the 18 or 1900’S. They were also in the military. No dog is bread for this they are only trained or abused into becoming this way. Pit Bulls have a great American history behind them. Does anyone remember Petie in Spanky and our Gang? They are actually extremely loving dogs. Mine thinks he is a 65 LB lap dog that is afraid of my 2 cats and my sisters rabbit.
Pitbulls are a mix of the bulldog and the terrier. The original bulldogs were bred to grab and hold onto a bull with their teeth so it could be slaughtered. Terriers were bred to hunt and kill rats. The two breeds were crossed to produce a dog suitable for the ‘sport’ of dog fighting. The pitbull has the courage to bite and hold a large animal, combined with the speed and killing instinct of the terrier. Pitbulls are good for hunting wild hogs. They don’t belong in the suburbs. 25 people were killed in the US last year by pitbulls.
And the dog that played Petey actually bit several people.
Go to the Insurance Company stats///they figure the most dangerous breeds by what they have to pay out. No lies there. Actual risk of being bitten and severely hurt by a dog are 3000% higher with a Pit Bull.
No lies here. Sorry but I can’t trust anything an insurance company says, the only there after is money and will do anything not to pay out even if its life threatening, ‘pre exciting’ visiting
Insurance companies only focus on the bottom line. Most insurance companies will not cover homeowners with pitbulls because they get so many claims for pitbull bites.
Please share where these statistics are coming from?
Hi Gail. Where did the statistic come from? Would really love to see the study. Thanks!
I’d love to legally own a pit in Aurora, but all it will take is one bad bully story to scare the politicians away from lifting the ban.
It’s people like MJC that don’t understand animal behavior in general or pits in particular that are the real problem.
Thank you once again to the Aurora Sentinel for fair and unbiased reporting. We applaud Council member Peterson in recognizing that breed is not an indicator of behavior. Responsible management of your dog is what sets them up for success regardless of breed. We’re excited at the possibility for Aurora to join other communities who are rejecting hysteria based websites, and bad statistics while looking to research done by experts in animal welfare. Safe, humane communities can only happen when we stop banning breeds and start addressing owners who’s behavior put people at risk. All dog bite victims deserve recognition and recourse, not just those who can be exploited for an agenda. Well done Aurora for taking the first steps toward well thought out, working solutions to public safety.
So glad this is finally being looked at! It shows our state’s citizens are becoming more educated about the breed and understand prejudice when they see it! kudos!
I resent all of the witty puns in
this article; these animals maim and kill at an alarming frequency. Not funny
at all. Blood is on the hands of the Aurora politicians if they let this
happen. These Nutters are always shoving their beasts in our faces demanding we
accept their lion taming disorder. I think more people should begin ‘rescuing’
these animals for the betterment of the community; and by ‘rescuing’, I mean
taking them and making mulch out of them.
You don’t live within the city limits. The only reason that you are here is to make waves and spread lies.
Not lies and you don’t know where I live, where my family lives, where I own property, or where I plan to retire. Typical Bully.
I know that you don’t live in Aurora. I don’t care where you own property or where you plan to retire. I do know that this issue is for Aurora residents only and the outside influence that you are attempting to exert is useless. Typical foamer.
You know nothing and I am elbow deep.
Going out on a limb, I would have a tendency to believe that you are standing in the middle of the manure and are full of it, too. Or are you too busy slapping honey?
See you at the meetings.
No one can even decide uniformly in this country what breeds and what size block head and what percentages of some breed constitutes a pit bull or a pit bull type dog. Pit bull is not a breed. It’s a generic term that encompasses many dogs and it varies from town to town, shelter to shelter and person to person. How can you possibly target a dog that no one can even agree uniformly on what they are? What one dog or one person did is no reflection on another dog or person. All dogs are individuals, as are people. The only breed of dog with pit bull in its name is the American Pit Bull Terrier.
If it’s so hard to recognize a pitbull, why do dogfighters have no trouble recognizing them? Why are there pitbull rescue groups? The truth is that form follows function. Dogs bred for fighting have small ears and small deepset eyes that aren’t easily damaged during a fight. They have a short wide muzzle for gripping strength. They have a short coat so they don’t get overheated during a fight, and a muscular build for maximum power. If it looks like a pitbull, it’s probably a pitbull.
Thank you city council members for considering the proposal to repeal the Restricted Breed Ordinance! And a big thank you to Council Member Peterson for proposing the repeal! This is an opportunity to explore alternatives and work together to create a safer, more humane Aurora for everyone.
I would also like to applaud Council Member Cleland for suggesting we beef up our dangerous dog laws and Council Member LeGare for requesting unbiased information for review.
The CDC (Center for Diseases Control), the AVMA (American Veterianary Medical Association) and ABA (American Bar Association) have published results of peer-reviewed studies and reviews on the subject. All of these organizations concluded a breed-neutral multi-faceted, community approach to addressing public safety is effective, and that laws that target specific breeds are ineffective and costly.
I look forward to discussions of a multi-faceted, community approach including beefing up the existing dangerous dog laws, adopting a reckless owner law, and partnering with other organizations to provide education and outreach.
The costs of Aurora’s Restricted Breed Ordinance have been too great to ignore any longer.
I am sincerely grateful that the city is considering removing the ban. I lived in the city of Aurora for over a year with my two pit bulls and not once did I have a neighbor complain about my girls. In fact, the neighbor kids were over almost daily asking to play with the dogs. I loved the kids innocence because all they saw was a friendly, loveable dog, just like adults should see. I even took them to the dog park in Aurora and never received a complaint. My girls have never attacked or bitten anyone. They attended proper training courses, are treat trained, and kennel trained and yet I am the responsible owner who is punished.
I understand the city does not want dog attacks to increase, and I agree, but instead of focusing on the breed, focus on those who mistreat their animals and who are not responsible owners.
Many well-trained pitbulls raised in loving homes still went on to kill or maim people. Google Daxton Borchardt or Beau Rutledge. You just got lucky.
In 2013, 32 people were killed by dogs in the U.S.
Posted on February 3, 2014 | By John Burgeson
Here’s a list of victims in the United States who were killed by domestic dogs in 2013, as compiled from news reports:
* 1/8/13 Betty Todd, 65 years old, SC – Killed by her son’s pet pit bull.
* 1/19/13 Christian Gormanous, 4 years old, TX – Killed by his neighbor’s chained pit bull
* 2/8/13 Elsie Grace, 91 years old, CA – Killed by her son’s two pit bulls
* 2/16/13 Isaiah Aguilar, 2 years old, TX – Killed by his neighbor’s chained pit bull
* 3/2/13 Ryan Maxwell, 7 years old, IL – Killed by a pit bull while visiting family friends
* 3/6/13 Daxton Borchardt, 14 months old, WI – Killed by his babysitter’s two pet pit bulls
* 3/27/13 Monica Laminack, 21 months old, GA – Killed by her family’s pet pit bulls
* 4/7/13 Tyler Jett, 7 years old, FL – Killed by his neighbor’s two pit bull-mix dogs
* 4/11/13 Claudia Gallardo, 38 years old, CA – Killed by a property owner’s pit bull
* 4/23/13 Jordyn Arndt, 4 years old, IA – Killed by her babysitter’s pit bull
* 4/24/13 Beau Rutledge, 2 years old, GA – Killed by his family’s pet pit bull
* 5/2/13 Rachael Honabarger, 35 years old , OH – Killed by her family’s German shepherd
* 5/9/13 Pamela Devitt, 63 years old, CA – Killed by a pack of loose pit bulls
* 5/12/13 Carlton Freeman, 80 years old, SC – Killed by four roaming pit bulls
* 6/9/13 Ayden Evans, 5 years old, AR – Killed by neighbor’s bullmastiff-mix
* 6/17/13 Nephi Selu, 6 years old, CA – Killed by uncle’s pit bull-mix
* 6/25/13 Arianna Merrbach, 5 years old, SC – Killed by aunt’s chained pit bull-mix
* 7/1/13 Linda Oliver, 63 years old, TX – Killed by stray Rottweiler-mastiff mix
* 8/30/13 Juan Campos, 96 years old, TX – Killed in his backyard by neighbor’s pit bulls
* 9/15/13 Jordan Lee Reed, 5 years old, AK – Killed by roaming Husky-mix
* 9/22/13 Daniel “Doe”, 2 years old, AZ – Killed by babysitter’s three pit bull-mixes (child was not identified).
* 9/23/13 Samuel Zamudio, 2 years old, CA – Killed by up to five pit bull-mixes (uncle’s)
* 9/27/13 Jordan Ryan, 5 years old, OR – Killed by babysitter’s pit bull
* 11/1/13 Terry Douglass, 56 years old (woman), MD – Killed by own pit bull
* 11/4/13 Katherine Atkins, 25 years old, NC – Killed by boyfriend’s two pit bulls
* 11/6/13 Nga Woodhead, 65 years old, WA – Killed by two loose pit bulls on street
* 11/8/13 Levi Watson, 4 years old, AR – Killed mother’s friend’s three pit bulls
* 11/17/13 Joan Kappen, 75 years old, AR – Killed by neighbor’s bullmastiff on street
* 12/8/13 Jah’niyah White, 2 years old, IL – Killed by grandfather’s two pit bulls
* 12/10/13 Mia Gibson, 3 months old, OH – Killed by family’s two Shiba Inu dogs
* 12/13/13 Michal Nelson, 41 years old, NM – Killed by 1 of her 12 pit bulls
* 12/29/13 Thomas Vick, 64 years old, AZ – Killed by his 5 family dogs (boxer, boxer-mixes, and shepherd)
I have no doubt that *9/15/13 Jordan Lee Reed, 5 years old, AK – Killed by roaming Husky-mix was a wolf-hybrid; another favorite of these personality types.
BAHAHAHAHA!!! This is all from a John Burgeson post!!! Laughable. They would be funny if people didn’t actually believe these. These “statistics” were pulled from dogsbite.org. Ms. Lynn’s completely unscientific website which has been discredited by too many reputable agencies to name. At least do some serious research. Did you know that many of the dog bite fatalities initially posted as regarding pit bulls are later proven to be dogs of other breeds, but formal retractions are never published? Look into it. You might want to go into battle with real weapons and not this BS.
You laugh at these real people that were maimed and killed? Two people like your ugly cackling at others misery? Definite bulies. Google these stories – real people. Blah, what’s the use? You all are non empathetic trash anyway. We will ‘rescue’ as many of these things as we can. The rest can rot in shelters until they get put down. Clearly, people like you can’t control their population or behavior; therefore, we will.
If you want to see the photos of the pitbulls responsible for killing 6 people last year, go to this link:
https://blog.dogsbite.org/2014/01/2013-fatal-dog-attack-identification-photographs.html
Dogsbite.org is a sensationalist rag. There is no fact to most of the posts and no science behind Colleen’s “statistics”. If you want to show something from a reputable source, that is fine. You are essentially quoting The Enquirer. Good work there. If you want to see pics of pit bull therapy dogs who were former fighting dogs kissing the heck out of babies or covered in adorable baby animals, hit me up on Facebook.
Would you please describe the events that unfolded that caused the dogs to attack and “supposedly” kill. Also could you please note the amount of people that live in this country so I could get an idea of just how uncommon these incidents happen.
What? haha! Do your own insane research. Supposedly? You are sad.
Regardless of the accuracy of the media reports or validity of the statistics, these cases still help prove the point that we need to adopt breed-neutral aggressive dog laws to improve public safety.
I understand that you have a fear of pitbulls and I won’t argue with you about this. But if you think rounding up and killing pitbulls will improve public safety, then you will fail to address 7 of these 32 fatalities. Another 5 are labeled as pitbull mixes. Many of these mixes could still be allowed under a pitbull ban in Aurora. The remaining 20 which the reports identified as pitbulls may or may not be accurate. Even under the current Aurora breed ban, many of these dogs could remain in the city – either underground or misidentified.
Is it OK to let 12 fatalities slide through the cracks without doing anything about them? I don’t think so. Is it better to try to prevent only 20 out of 32 deaths by rounding up and killing thousands of dogs or would you rather focus on the 32 dangerous dogs to try to prevent all of these? Let’s try to prevent all 32 of these tragedies from ever happening again, OK.
A pitbull ban doesn’t address 100% of the potential public risk. A breed-neutral aggressive dog law will. If you think all pitbulls are aggressive, then an aggressive dog law will apply to all of them, animal control will continue to seize all of them. If only some pitbulls are aggressive and dangerous, then animal control will seize them and leave the harmless dogs with responsible owners alone. Either way, you have nothing to worry about if the breed ban is repealed. It will also apply to every other dog that could potentially be aggressive – purebred, cross, or mutt. It doesn’t require veterinarian, breed expert, or DNA analysis, or endless public debate. So animal control and law enforcement can spend more time and resources focusing on improving public safety.
Let’s look at the causes and address the real problem here. These cases are in line with the NCRC findings about the factors that generally occur in dog attacks.
https://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/tinymce/Co-occurrence%20Whitepaper%20-%202013.pdf
From the titles you have listed, you can see that many of these attacks involve unrestrained dogs or chained dogs. Many involve 2 or more roaming dogs. The majority do not involve the owner or an able bodied person who could control the dogs.
I spent some time researching the few cases where an adult was attacked.
Katherine Atkins was feeding her boyfriend’s dogs and the report shows their living conditions here:
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/11/07/article-0-193DADEB00000578-532_634x362.jpg
These were clearly not socialized family dogs. Stronger welfare laws could have prevented these dogs from being isolated and unsocialized in a backyard cage. They probably weren’t spayed or neutered either but I couldn’t find any information in the reports to confirm this.
Claudia Gallardo’s case has multiple problems. The report said that the dog had a previous history of aggression and had escaped from the yard to harass neighbors on multiple occasions. At the time of the attack, the owner wasn’t home to supervise his dog AND Claudia had jumped the fence to enter the dog’s property. No one knows why she did this but regardless of her mistake, something should have been done about this dog after the first reports of aggression in the neighborhood.
Rachel Honabarger’s case is one that really doesn’t make much sense. No one witnessed the initial attack. A neighbor only arrived to pull the dog off of her after. So if Rachel did something to the dog to provoke it, we’ll never know. The report says that the dog was Rachel’s pet, lived in her home, and didn’t have any history of aggression. Perhaps the dog had a medical or mental condition? I couldn’t find any follow up reports with any vet examination or autopsy of the dog. And this dog was a German Shepherd which wouldn’t be targeted by a breed ban anyhow.
There should be stricter penalties to hold owners responsible for stray dogs.
Chaining dogs or keeping resident dogs in cages should be banned.
I also would support limits the number of dogs that can be kept in a home within city limits. Michal Nelson had 12 pitbulls – that’s just not right.
I don’t support mandatory spaying and neutering but breeding businesses should be heavily regulated. Many backyard breeders just don’t have the space or facilities to properly care for their animals.
And instead of wasting time debating genetic tests and visual identification to try to figure out what dogs are pitbulls and what dogs aren’t, why don’t we put some more effort into public education to teach people how to supervise and handle dogs safely around children and seniors. Regardless of the owner’s mistreatment or mismanagement of their dog, many of these fatalities could have been prevented by simply not allowing ANY dog to be unsupervised without an able bodied handler. My pit mix has passed the therapy dog test and has always been perfectly well behaved around kids. But even so, she will never be allowed around small children unless I am there to handle her. It only takes one poke in the eye and one snap. Regardless of her past perfect behavior, I will not leave her future or the safety of any child to chance. This rule should apply to all dog owners and parents regardless of size or breed.
If we focus on these solutions, then almost all of these tragic deaths might be prevented.
If you have found any other cases similar to Rachael Honabarger’s that involve a serious attack from a spayed/neutered family pet (living in a home – not in a cage outside or chained), that was being properly handled and cared for by an able bodied owner, please post more details. It would also be helpful to know if the dog was examined to rule out any serious medical conditions like tumors or epilepsy that could have caused them to become unstable and dangerous without any warning. I have yet to find a complete report of a dog attack that rules out all logical explanations.
What’s a pit bull? It’s not a breed. When you say pit bull what do you mean when you give stats? What breed and percentages are you talking about since what constitutes a pit bull varies from town to town and shelter to shelter and person to person. When a mixed breed dog bites all the breeds in that dog bit. So when you call a dog a pit bull mix that means what exactly? A mixed breed dog. You could easily call a dog a lab mix with some pit in it (whatever that means).
Instead of repeating this same question over and over and over and over and over again, why don’t you find out what a pit bull is and tell us?!!!!!
I can’t because it changes all the time. It’s a pit bull. It’s a pit bull type dog. It’s a pit mix. It’s a pit bull terrier and all the dogs have a different look and a different sized block head. It’s all crazy. They are all dogs and apparently much smarter than any human could ever be.
Why don’t you stop with your lunacy and sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong?
A dog is a dog is a dog. Unless it’s raised abusively or trained to be aggressive. Some dogs do have personality issues. PERSONALITY. Singular personality issues. Irregardless of breed. I’ve met some vicious chihuahuas, shitzus, dachshunds, and mixed breeds in 7 years of being a technician working in peoples homes. I’ve never met a mean pit bull and I’ve met quite a lot of them. Pit bulls and any dog resembling one have so many myths perpetrated by the media and scare groups with agendas. The vast majority of people that have one or more are just regular people who want a good natured, sporty, hearty, loyal, loving, family loving and cuddly dog to be a member of their family. Simple as that. And it’s unbelievable that there are so many people opposed to that, that take pleasure in taking that away from others. That take pleasure in destroying homes and hearts because of uneducated, close-minded hysteria. I looked forward to moving to this wonderful area and having a great life for me and my dogs. We’re now considering moving to a city in another state that uses logic, facts, and upholds its people’s freedoms. Instead of punishing all for the actions of a miserable few. No different that a witch hunt in 1692. Denver’s come a long way…..
If a dog, were a dog, were a dog, there would be no reason to have different breeds because Great Danes could be trained to chase fox, French poodles could be trained to herd animals and Michael Vick would have been fighting collies. Dogs are bred for very specific purposes and the temperament of various breeds is genetic. Even dog freak Cesar Millan admits that when attacking, pit bulls “have an extra boost, they can go into a zone,
they don’t feel the pain anymore.”
Quoting Cesar Milan just goes to show how little you know about dogs.
The reason Michael Vick was fighting pitties instead of collies has more to do with their mane, not breed. Collies are a whole lot stronger than Pitts and much more capable. Collies are actually banned breeds in 13 countries. You’re a fool. You obviously know nothing about breeds and the history or origin of Pit Bull type dogs. They were bred for hunting and assisting with childcare.
I strongly urge you to spend less time on dogsbite.org and more time researching animal behavior and breeds through credible resources.
Someone should re-read the original LASSIE. Collies are described as fierce fighters and admired for it.
Do you have a dog? If so, why did you choose it?
I chose a Shih Tzu because the breed standard states that the Shih Tzu should be a friend to all. The breed standard for pitbulls is determined by dogfighters.
That makes no sense. Please explain what you mean by “The breed standard for pitbulls is determined by dogfighters.” Did some hood rats go back in time and create the dog? They and the media are the reason they have such a bad reputation. They were adored at the turn of the century (1900’s). Before tv, internet and mass media with agenda’s. And scumbag soulless hood rats. I love my dogs. My dogs are great, loving dogs. I’m a responsible dog owner and a law abiding citizen. I refuse to sit back and let people like you take my right to own the kind of dog I want away. I would never do that to you or anyone else.
BTW – I’ve been bite by 3 breeds of dogs. A black lab, a dachsund, and a SHIH TZU. I’ve lived with 7 different bully breeds and came across 100’s of pits in my job. Never bitten or felt threatened by a single one.
Have you read the book “The Lost Dogs?” It is the details of the case of Michael Vick and the outcome of each of the dogs. They felt and feel pain. I will loan you my copy if you would like an awarded writer who includes the detectives and officers, photos, mass graves and Michael Vick’s case with photos and the actual case evidence. See then if you believe that the dogs had no pain. Another myth.
We have fight or flight as humans, if we make it to safety we surely feel the pain we may have suffered that was inflicted during a fight for survival. Again, if you will I will loan you a copy. It is documented evidence of case and canines and will enlighten you.
Just because a breed of dog is the victim of cruelty, doesn’t make it a suitable family pet. It’s not the dogs fault that they have been bred for fighting, but they are still good at it. If you really care about pitbulls, support mandatory pitbull spay/neuter.
Oh and Cesar Millan? Are you kidding me?! That shows us how uninformed you really are. There is a reason why the AVMA, AKC, HSUS and the SPCA all state otherwise. Get the facts, quit following celebrities blindly.
There was a recent dog fighting ring busted that pitbulls and beagles were found. People are sick and need to find a new Hobbies, that doesn’t involve innocent animals. Having a fight club would make better since, at least there given the choose, that being said beagles scored an 80% on the American temperament test, and after growing up with one. .. I belive it
While I can understand the fear people have of dogs to limit it to a fear of breed specific (pick a breed – any breed) seems based purely on prejudice. I live in Aurora and have worked with Humane Societies and rescues and not once have had an issue with a pit bull…pure or mix. Even back in my college days working with the Humane Society investigating dog fighting did one of the pits come after the people that went to rescue them. Most were just happy to have found compassion and kindness that they had never felt from a human being before. Some were so frightened they would even respond to kindness. My son owns a pit mix who he can’t bring up to see me because of this ban. He lives in the Springs where they are welcomed. Bear Creek dog park has pits there all the time running and playing socializing with every other type of dog. Yet the only fights that have broken out have involved non pits. I take my dogs to Cherry Creek almost daily and again the fights I have seen with dogs don’t involve pits.
I think that it’s time to put away prejudice and misinformation and simply allow owners to be responsible for their dog. Rather than have to give them up to be killed in shelters.
My puppy pit actually was attacked at Cherry Creek Dog Park by a lab. She went too close to the labs ball and he attacked. A hole in her ear and a scratched cornea and yet she had no idea she had been attacked and just kept playing.
If your puppy had been attacked by a pitbull, she would probably be dead.
Every one wants safe communities. Every one wants people to be protected from dangerous dogs. NO ONE likes seeing stories about people being hurt by dogs. The issue is WHAT measures protect citizens? That must include considerations of enforceability and fairness. Breed specific laws are being repealed all over the country, and not just in the places the article mentions. The reason is that cities have discovered that rather improving public safety, breed restrictions/bans divert resources, impact innocent dogs and responsible owners unfairly, are expensive and subject to constant lawsuits and most importantly simply don’t reduce dog bite incidents overall. These days, no one knows what a “pit bull” is, so any dog with a square head and short hair is called by that term. Singling out dogs by appearance should seem like an obvious loser. Dogs are bad by BEHAVIOR, not by appearance. I applaud the Aurora council for openness in re-visiting their breed ban
I have lived in Colorado my whole life and I always though that it was so wierd that a state that is so animal friendly has banned such a staple breed in American history. This has been the only dog to grace to cover of Life three different times. Not only about BSL, but how great of a dog that they are. There is now a stigmatism about the breed that had only been around since the 80’s and because of it people are now scared of the dog, 1000’s of dogs die because they can’t go to good homes, and the people that do want to own them are less then ideal. If there was a ban on golden retrievers then the same scenario would happen. In fact during the 1800’s There was mass histaria over blood hounds. BSL is recognized as a waste of taxpayers money, that could be going towards something more useful. Its time dogs regardless of breed gets treated the same on both ends,
One million pitbulls a year are euthanized because irresponsible people keep breeding them. That is more than any other type of dog. There should be mandatory spay/neuter for pitbulls.
Did you ever notice that all the pit mixes have different sized block heads and different body types. It’s nuts trying to label something that’s really just a mixed breed dog with questionable breeds in it because of indiscriminate breeding.
This ban lift bodes well for the local reconstructive surgeons in the area.
Apparently dog bites haven’t gone down in Denver with a pit bull ban (again, it depends on what you consider a pit bull to be and that keeps changing). Correct me if I am wrong please and I don’t think Y o t i e has done any studies with physicians that I know of.
I would like to clarify why I support Breed Neutral Legislation. All canine’s are individuals as are their owners, the humans.
The responsibility of all canines and the laws are and always should be directed towards the other end of the leash. We will have safe and happy communities when everyone gets on board.
I’m a firm believer that making all legislation to encompass the individual human and canine that they own regardless of what they look like at “either end of the
leash” makes for inclusive responsibility.
I can believe that animal “control” doesn’t want pitties in their community. After all, what do they have to do if not destroy animals? I know this sounds petty, but as a clinical psychologist and pittie mom, i can read between the lines in the mentality of some of these workers.
I use to think Colorado was progressive, but sadly not. Hopefully Aurora will set a trend in what has become a backward state.
I wanted to thank the Aurora Sentinel for their unbiased reporting. As a former resident of Aurora who owned multiple homes in this city, I sold my properties and fled to the Eastern plains. Even though my dogs could have been grandfathered in, I was too afraid for their safety if they should remain in the city. I have owned “pit bull” type dogs for my entire life and have long been involved in both fighting dog rescue and the repeal of BSL. I will say that I feel completely safe with my dogs. I also feel 100% safe having my infant daughter in the home with them. Why? Because my dogs are not “genetically wired” for anything more than any other terrier. People forget that terriers were bred for a number of reasons and that most are energetic and athletic. I give my dogs love, food, leadership, consistency, and plenty of exercise – we are a pretty stable pack. Some of my dogs are former fighters. Some of those are AKC Canine Good Citizens and one is a certified therapy dog.
I don’t care about the crazy statistics of the TROLLS who have nothing better to do than spew garbage and hate. Those are made up. The number of people killed in the US by dogs last year? Made up number. Try to find it in a peer reviewed, statistical article. Not there. Saying a pit bull attack does 2500 times more damage because ER doctors said so? Not a real fact. Weird, I know. Those negative comments are intended to incite a response by some very sad and lonely people who live in puddles of failure in their parent’s basements. Get out, get some fresh air, and clear your murky, angry little brains. I won’t engage with you, so feel free to rant away. You are nothing. You mean nothing. You contribute nothing real to the conversation.
I applaud Aurora for taking another look at repealing BSL. Studies have shown that this legislation is expensive, is not effective at keeping communities safe, and can tear families apart.
Sadly, responsible pet owners move into Aurora, Castle Rock, and Denver clueless that there is any law against owning a “pit bull” only to find out after it is too late. Now, they are forced to make painful decisions. Shelters and rescues fill up with perfectly behaved pit bull dogs needlessly. This causes overcrowded shelters, which in turn, puts all dogs of breeds and sizes at risk. And, there could be an argument for this happening if this at all kept communities safer. Unfortunately, BSL gives neighborhoods a false sense of security, when in truth, it accomplishes nothing. We need animal education and responsible ownership laws helps to keep communities safe.
They don’t take the dogs to get them vaccinated because they are not supposed to have them there. This is not a reason to lift a ban. People break the law so we should just change the law so that they won’t be breaking any law anymore. These Pit Bull owners will not follow any new laws. They have already violated the current law by bringing in dogs that are not supposed to be there., so lets reward them by lifting the ban and endangering everyone else in the Community, From what I have gathered the people in this community do not want the ban lifted. Why don’t you give it to the Community for a public vote, since those are the people that have to live there, or better yet The Pit Bull Advocacy should just j go away , back to your own homes, and leave this community alone instead of brow beating and pestering them to death as you do in all communities until you get your way. Pretty selfish if you ask me. Endangering so many folks just to appease a few Pit Bull Owners and allow dog fighting into communities. After they get the ban lifted , then the Pit Bull Mafia will be coming back to your state to get the new state law passed there, that states you cannot enact any laws against any certain breeds, then Colorado will really be hurting, just like the 15 states where this has been pushed through. Those states are Pit Bull Hell, and nothing is done to make the owners of these dogs more responsible, Once they get that law pushed into states, they can do whatever they want, and they do.
It is unfortunate that one half of our culture still consists of people who believe a degree of fear needs to remain in our society.
Salem Witch Hunts and bonafied 1949 McCarthyism is still alive and well with these people… along with the belief in black cats, walking under ladders and broken mirrors.
We need not argue with these people, rather, accept them in our communities as the weakest link (which exists in everything in life), calculate their liability into our over-all plan of progress and keep moving forward. As for these people bombarding the city of Aurora with hate mail and misinformation… Well, its just one of the pit falls of politics. (((WE))) who believe in progress and fair/ effective laws that create safe communities let it roll off our backs and keep on keeping on.
Gold Stars across the board to the City of Aurora for even discussing this touchy issue. Renie Peterson for US Senate!!!
Fun Fact- In the history of mankind and campaigning… our opponents typically get nastiest when they finally acknowledge they are losing the election.
Im just sayin….
Sorry, I forgot… If we peel back the layers of the anti pit bull conglomerate… we will find Merrit Clifton, Colleen Lynn, and our good friend Kory Nelson right here in Parker, CO. If we exam the credibility and integrity of these individuals and their expertise in Animal Welfare… enough said.
let’s ban stupid people!
https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf pitbulls are statistically over represented. However I’d like to point out that my blue ringed octopus my krait and my brazillian wandering spider have never hurt anyone. I believe its a question of training not the type of animal itself.
A bit of information about the person behind “dogsbite.org” For everyone who wants to quote Ms. Lynn and her “statistics”, please take a moment to understand that you are quoting garbage. It does not lend credence to your arguments, it just shows your ignorance. https://whoiscolleenlynn.com/