AURORA, Colo. — A family of four is taking the city of Aurora to federal court to save the life of their dog.
The pit bull was seized by Aurora Animal Services on Jan. 4 after it bit a delivery man. Bandit has been sheltered ever since.
The Suren Tatuylan family hired the Animal Law Center, which filed a federal lawsuit and a restraining order to prevent the shelter from euthanizing the 2-year-old pet.
“They are completely dedicated to this dog,” the family’s attorney Jennifer Edwards said. “Bandit is not a fighting dog. He had one bite. He should be given a chance.”
He’s been caged up since biting a FedEx deliveryman who came to the family’s home in January.
The family’s lawsuit asks the court to allow Bandit to go back with his family outside of Aurora.
“The family is absolutely building another home in Parker. They are completely wiling to move,” Edwards said.
At the very least, the lawsuit asks that Bandit be allowed to relocate to a no-kill shelter in Florida where he can get help.
“He deserves to have some behavior modification. He deserves training. He deserves enrichment. He deserves a chance,” Edwards said.
Either way, they want the city to act soon. They say Bandit has been locked up for too long.
“Bandit does not get to leave his concrete cell. He gets no enrichment. He gets no exercise. He’s becoming morbidly obese. He has been confined in a cell for many, many months,” Edwards said.
Tatuylan is a Russian immigrant who speaks little English and didn’t realize when he pleaded guilty in March to harboring a dangerous dog that it meant the immediate destruction of his pet.
The family has been paying $15 a day to keep Bandit at the shelter. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with costs.