Thread: Denver Pit Bull Ban

Pit bull roundup begins in Denver
On first day of effort, city's animal control officers seize 12 dogs

By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News
May 10, 2005

Officer Lorraine Pacheco didn't know what to expect Monday - the first day of Denver Animal Control's enforcement of the city's ban on owning pit bulls.

"At first, I was like, do I even want to come into work today," Pacheco said from behind the wheel of her city-issued white van.

"People not wanting to give up their dogs, saying 'I love my dog, why are you taking him?' It's not a witch-hunt."

It is the law, though.

The Denver District Court ruled this year that an ordinance passed in April 2004 was legal, and about 200 owners of pit bulls were notified by mail that they would have to turn over their dogs beginning Monday.

Doug Kelly, director of the Denver animal shelter, said that, as of early Monday evening, 12 pit bulls were in custody after owners either relinquished them or they were picked up by officers such as Pacheco."We really didn't know what to expect," he said. "We were prepared for a higher caller volume."

Of those dozen dogs, he said six will likely be euthanized after 24 hours. The others, which the city picked up, will be traced back to their owners, he said. If the owners had previous pit bull violations, the dogs won't be returned and will be euthanized. If the dogs had no prior violations, the owners will have the opportunity to relocate them outside the county of Denver.

William Hollowell had received a notice and gave up his dog voluntarily when animal control officers arrived Monday afternoon.

Three animal control vans parked outside his brick house while his dog, Bandit, jumped and barked inside a small fenced area of the backyard."I'll get him," Hollowell said quietly as animal control officials closed in with wrangling equipment.

The 50-year-old with long dreadlocks opened the fence's door a crack and slipped behind the chain-link door separating the officers from the snarling dog. He calmly put a chain leash on Bandit and started to walk him out. Bandit struggled at first, lunging in different directions before his owner picked him up and brought him to the back of the van. In the background, two American bulldogs barked loudly.

"I'm definitely sad," Hollowell said. "He's like a member of my family. There's going to be a lot of sad people."

Pacheco said because Hollowell voluntarily gave up the dog, he wouldn't be ticketed. The fine for violating the city ordinance is up to $999 and/or a year in jail.

As they were finishing loading up the dog, and Officer Frank Jimenez was explaining to Hollowell his options, Pacheco got another call about a pit bull running loose in a Montbello neighborhood.

When she and Jimenez arrived about a half-hour later, the home in question had no evidence of a dog. The woman who answered the door when Pacheco knocked wasn't too happy to see them, either.

Between a flurry of obscenities, the woman said she gave up the pit bull days ago. A little girl inside the doorway to the house mentioned it might be in the basement. Officers asked her if they could look there.

"I don't have no dogs," the woman yelled. "There ain't no dogs in the basement. You want to search the house, get a warrant. And then I'll sue you."

Keri Lafave, a neighbor, said the black pit bull had been running loose in the neighborhood earlier in the day. However, she said the dog wasn't mean.

Both Jimenez and Pacheco called Denver police officers for backup and, while they waited for the squad cars to arrive, they stood watch by the backyard in case the woman tried to flee with a pit bull. When the officers arrived, the woman refused entrance to her house and Pacheco said a warrant would have to be issued.

"I've been called everything in the book," she said as she got in the van and drove away. "I just try and tell them I'm just doing my job."

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I'm not a fan of pit bulls, but this is so wrong! Same as saying one "black" or one "mexican" robbed a store - so arrest them all! Too scary!

Of those dozen dogs, he said six will likely be euthanized after 24 hours.

That is wrong, I would be so sad and mad if I lived there and had a Pit Bull. I'm sure there are mean ones, but there are all kinds of other mean dogs in every breed. Too bad we can't round up all the child molesters and murderers and euthanize them they deserve it more than a lot of these dogs probably do.

This just breaks my heart. What breed will be next, when they've killed all the pit bulls? They should not be able to make the decision about what breed of dog anyone can own. Each case needs to be taken individually, rather than judging an entire breed based on a stereotype. I know I will NEVER move to Denver, or anywhere that they tell me I have to euthanize my family members.

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There have been several people killed by pit bulls in the Atlanta area since we moved here 2 1/2 years ago. Some have been children, some have been elderly people. There have been a couple of fighting rings shut down.

I heard on the news that legislation was going to be introduced that would ban pit bulls statewide in Georgia I'm assuming it was either never introduced or failed since I haven't heard any more about it
.
The guy who lives two houses down has a female pit and they let her run loose a lot. If you happen to be in the front yard, she acts like she's going to eat you alive. If she ever comes at me or one of my family members, he's going to be burying his pit.

On the other hand, my younger brother has a female pit who is nothing more than an overgrown baby. I doubt I'd walk into the backyard with her alone since she doesn't know me, but she doesn't bark or freak out if someone walks up to the fence.

I think any dog can be taught to be mean and attack. My SIL's mother has a small dog that is as vicious as any dog i've eveer seen. Maybe instead of banning a certain breed of dog, they should have regulations to monitor the people who own the dogs.

Denver has had a ban since 1989 and voted to renew the ban in 2004. The state legislature had no right to overide that ban. These people got pit bulls knowing there was a chance they wouldn't be able to keep them.