DENVER (KDVR) — Voters are set to decide if people can own pit bulls in Denver, after the city council voted unanimously Monday evening to put the question on the November ballot.
If Denver voters approve the measure, pit bull owners would need to get a provisional permit and would be required to have their dog microchipped. Owners would also need to list emergency contacts and could not have more than two pit bulls in a home.
According to the bill, a dog would need to be registered with the provisional permit for 36 months with no issues. The bill also requires owners need to report any bite incidents or loose pit bulls to Animal Control within eight hours.
Earlier this year Denver Mayor Michael Hancock vetoed city council’s effort to repeal the city’s pit bull ban, citing safety concerns; his first veto as mayor
The ban has been in effect since 1989.
If passed, the measure would go into effect in January.
The Dumb Friends League provided this statement on Tuesday morning:
The Dumb Friends League remains supportive of the measure to repeal and replace the ban on pit bulls in the City and County of Denver and is excited to see this measure on the November ballot. The League supports laws that will protect our community from dangerous dogs as opposed to legislation banning a dog based solely on their breed. We know that comprehensive, well-enforced, breed-neutral laws, like Referred Ordinance 20-0760, offer an effective and fair solution to the problem of dangerous dogs and ultimately keep communities safer.