After four years of pounding Denver with every logical argument and reliable statistic explaining why breed bans are bad public policy and purely discriminatory, the ground is starting to shake. The biggest shock wave has emanated from the civil lawsuit brought against the city three years ago — a growing financial burden to the city budget scarier than any bully type dog!
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| Eric Christensen/IsaakHook Images |
| Me and my bully mix, Brad Pit — Outlaws of Denver. |
The ban echoes pit bull paranoia etched in fear-based thinking — ignoring factual information that disputes any logical reason to legislate a breed of dog as dangerous. You can find statistics, data and the gruesome history of Denver’s brutal breed ban on DenverKillsDogs.com.
Just two days before my scheduled flight to the Dark City, I was informed that Denver only wanted to hear from its own constituents — no “outsiders.” Here is the notice I received: Denver city council is not taking seriously any e-mails from outside the area. If you are a Denver resident, make sure to put something about being a Denver resident in the subject line.
What about ex-Denver residents forced to chose between their beloved dog or their home? Or thousands of concerned citizens who signed the Boycott Denver Petition? And what about angry dog owners who have vowed not to move to Denver or open a business there because of the breed ban? I guess we should all go fly a kite…
If testimony from Sergeant Heidi J. Tufto, a previous Denver resident and one of many who fled the city, was not enough evidence to convince city council members of the breed bans’ ridiculous assault on dog owners, I don’t know what other “evidence” Denver is seeking to determine if dog owners have any rights at all. Here is the gripping letter Heidi wrote…
Dear Denver Legislators -
I want you to know that I moved from your "fine" city several years ago specifically due to the breed ban and merciless slaughter of family pets. I moved to Aurora and when they enacted their breed ban, I sold my two homes in that city and moved from there as well – even though I could have "grandfathered" my two beautiful dogs. This year alone, I have purchased more than 450,000 worth of property – all outside of your city and tax base – even with the current economic issues. You have lost a valuable patron, a community volunteer, an active duty combat Soldier and first responder, and a generally outstanding resident.
I ask that you focus all of your currently misused resources toward issues that will help to change the face of Denver in a positive fashion. Instead of hunting down harmless pets, perhaps you could better enforce your spay and neuter policies and reduce the general number of unwanted animals. I suggest sting operations where you contact any of the thousands of people selling puppies and kittens in the Denver Metro area to ensure that these animals are properly licensed for breeding. They shouldn’t be too hard to track down, as they are clearly advertised in the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News. Reduce the total number of animals in your shelter, and ensure that ALL dogs and cats who are not show animals are spayed or neutered if living in Denver city limits. Now that is a cause I can rally behind. As an added bonus, spaying and neutering typically helps to reduce aggression in all breeds. Nice bonus, eh?
It is proven that breed specific legislation does not work. Why persist in persecution and genocide of a particular breed of dogs? If this were a people and not a breed of dog, there would be worldwide pressure on you to stop the killing. Discrimination is discrimination — and it is never acceptable. Please educate yourselves on the other legislative options available, such as a strict dangerous dog law that encompasses all breeds and will better protect the public.
In the meantime, I will reside in a relatively safe area with my two beautiful dogs, Lumpy and Bo. They have a lot to offer your city, as Lumpy is a Canine Good Citizen and a Certified Therapy Dog who was a much-loved and welcome favorite at the Children’s Hospital in El Paso.
Lumpy is a former fighting dog who wants nothing more than to show her compassion and depth of character to sick children — not eat them. It is a shame for all parties concerned that she cannot do what she does best and shine as an ambassador for her breed.
I invite you to call me, write me, or contact me in any way. I will gladly give you the opportunity to meet my beautiful Lumpy dog whose only fault was being born a pit bull who was abused, fought, thrown out and left for dead — but who recovered, forgave us all, and lives to love everyone. The same beautiful dog who you have decreed must die simply because she exists.
I will and do not spend any of my money in the cities of Denver or Aurora. I find my entertainment and necessities elsewhere and will continue to do so until such time as the ban is repealed.
Sincerely,
Heidi J. Tufto
303-859-XXXX
Wake up Denver! You have already heard from Heidi, a sergeant of our military forces and other responsible citizens severely penalized by your ineptness to enact an effective dangerous dog ordinance. Furthermore, as a result of your deafness, the city is bleeding taxpayer dollars in a costly legal war waged by outraged citizens forced to move from their Denver homes and treated like criminals!
Other than expert testimony refuting the validity of breed bans given by the professional veterinary community, numerous respected animal welfare organizations, and research data complied by the National Canine Research Council, what more “evidence” are you looking for, Denver? I am afraid the adage: “You can’t fix stupid” applies.
Update I received from Councilwoman Carla Madison: “I can clarify to you and anyone else you talk to that we are not looking to repeal the ban but put a Responsible Pit Bull Ownership Act in place.”
What is the Responsible Pit Bull Ownership Act you ask?? Denver’s new and improved version of breed discrimination. You can own a pit bull only IF: you apply for a special permit and pay a fee, your dog can pass a temperament test, completes a training class, and you buy increased homeowner insurance. What a load of bully crap!
Notice to my fellow warriors: On August 25th, I stood proudly among the victims of Denver’s brutal breed ban with empty collars and leashes in hand refusing to be ignored. As one of the “outsiders”, I could only imagine the horror of living in a city that uses police force to search private homes, apprehending the friendly family dog for its last ride to nowhere.
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| Rob Keith/IsaakHook Images |
| Joining my fellow protesters at Denver City Hall. August 25th, 2009. |
For me, Denver will always be remembered as a city cloaked in darkness — hiding under home rule status to impose its own laws. Its own sense of justice. Its own punishment. The Wild Wild West of Denver is looking for a new sheriff. Justice has yet to be served.
Dear Rovers: You have proudly answered the Call to Action and inspired change. And I have had the privilege of fighting with the best of the best. Thank you for the honor of being your General!
For readers of this blog, do not let breed discrimination come to your city. You must watch your city council. Don’t let Denver happen again!
Here is what county commisioners, legislators, and the vast uneducated public do not understand, by having BSL laws, you are pushing this issue “straight into irresponsible hands.” I compare it to gun control. If politicians will not allow the responsible owners to own this breed on any other that they deem “dangerous” the only people that will own one, (be it illegal or not) will be the criminals, dangerous people and “street thugs.” They are the ones who have given this breed “pit bull” the bad reputation in the first place, by abusing, neglecting and overbreeding them for dog fighting purposes. So if you make it illegal to own one, in any city or state, you are turning this breed over to the wrong hands. Criminals will continue to own one no matter what the law states, just the same as with weapons and drugs. Kim Riddle — Fort Lauderdale, FL – Broward County
It’s much worse than gun control from a Constitutional Law standpoint. Our Constitution has evolved to protect against discrimination based on race, religion, country of origin, language spoken, ethnicity, and other factors.
Now that discrimination is heavily punishable by actual and compensatory damages when directed at human beings, our cowardly elected officials are fixing a non-existent problem by directing this same discrimination against chattels, personal property of their Constituents. A dog is just that, personal property.
That is a case just waiting to be litigated under 42 USC 1938 (Civil Rights violations). The 5th Amend prohibits a taking without due process, (notice and opportunity to be heard, as well as just compensation) through the 14th Amendment. Any person acting through color of authority, (police or council members, or animal control), that violates these rights while acting as a government official is PERSONALLY liable. Anytime government takes one of your rights away and gets away with it, you can be sure they will return tomorrow to take the rest of your rights away. If discrimination is wrong as applied to humans, it is wrong as applied to any other living creature. Each is an individual whose traits should be tried on their individual merits. Where are these owner/co-victims of their personal property that was seized? Were there lawfully issued search warrants? Were their homes entered into illegally and their property seized without a warrant? Does the Denver Municipal Code require a warrant before an entry by law enforcement? If there is no requirement, does the 4th Amendment of the Constitution require a warrant to protect against unreasonable search and seizures? If law enforcement showed up at your home to take your child, or your dog without probable cause, without a warrant, would you protect your property with reasonable force or would you let them take and search whatever or wherever they choose? There is no excuse for not having a warrant issued by a Court of competent jurisdiction based on probable cause prior to ANY search or seizure. I know why I would never visit or live in Denver. Why would you? I recently visited Pueblo, Evergreen, Divide, Vail, Durango and other place in CO but not Denver. Where I come from, we still have a Constitution with specific legal rights. I wouldn’t spend a penny to visit Denver or enter their jurisdiction. They actually believe they can seize your dog out of you vehicle without probable cause if you are just passing through. Denver’s too scary for me to take my animals anywhere near. Their statute is vague as applied and unconstitutional on grounds that have never been litigated.
The face of discrimination – whether human or dog kind – is the same in principle and carries the same definition: Treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit.
Our canine companions also exhibit certain behaviors that allow us to judge them on individual merit. Americans have fought and won that battle so that our citizens are not persecuted for race, sex or religious beliefs. But there is no federal law that protects our dogs from suffering the ill fate of blind ignorance—resulting in a kill-them-all mindset. All the time ignoring the root of the real problem— people who abuse or neglect to socialize their dogs.
Simply put, bad dog owners give birth to dangerous dogs. They put the public at risk – punish them! Look to the other end of the leash and make laws that apply to people, not dogs…
“What man does not understand, he fears; and what he fears, he tends to destroy” ;-(
Dear Dr. Paula
Sad what some ignorant people can do to lead the few who are afraid. I’ve forwarded your email to my friends who own pit bulls.
Mary Jo
p.s. I forgot to mention that my own tenants have a pit bull and she is the sweetest little dog you’d ever want to meet. Her name is gumdrop.
Dr. Paula
I am honored to stand with you on this issue. I am privileged to own a pure white American Bull dog that would be riped from my grasp and slaughtered if found in the Denver/Aurora city limits. I cannot imagine the horror of watching some M16 armed, jack booted lackey walk into my home and take my Cracker from me, knowing full well that this will be the last time I see him alive. He has never hirt anyone. I am a responsible owner that will never even put him in a position where he could hirt someone. Why do they want my Cracker boy dead? Ignorance, fear and stupidity is like a cloud over the city of Denver and Aurora. As I have told all the members of that city counsel and the mayor of that modern day Auschwitz called Denver, I promise I will never vacation in Colorado again.
I will never spend a dime in that state and I will, until the day I die, tell anyone that will listen what their ignorance and stupidity has done to good dog owners and good dogs. If brains were dynamite, they collectively wouldn’t have enough to blow their noses.
Though I have not been at this fight to end BSL as long as some… Ive been around the block enough to know that with this nightmare present every morning when I awake… also is the opportunity to be the change I want to see in places like Denver.
Forrest and Kane are constant reminders that there are people and places in this world that shun logic, that thrive and rule by hysteria, and that the media in our country is not worth the the value of the tv we watch them on.
I believe that the day animals truly have balance and justice and sense of community in their existence is the day the very last human being vanishes from planet earth.
It doesn’t matter how many stories like this one I hear, I get angry and upset all over again every single time.
It is truely beyond my understanding why anyone would think that BSL is a good idea….when will the world wake up?
For further reading on this subject check out my pit bull education blogs at TheDogDiva.blogspot.com