I am SO happy!! The State legislature passed a bill and the Governor has signed it that makes breed specific dog bans ILLEGAL!!! There are 22 pit bulls or pit bull look-alikes who literally have a new lease on life today. These are the dogs who had been impounded by the City of Denver for being born. No, they didn't bite anyone, they weren't fighting dogs. They were just there. Some weren't even pits, but according the the "experts" looked like pits. Two of the dogs have already been reclaimed by their owners and are sleeping in a home again tonight.
The other part, the main part, of this legislature makes dog owners liable for damages that their dogs occur if the dog bites/attacks someone from the first instance. In the past, they were only liable if they "knew the dog is vicious". So basically that left any victims of serious dog bites by dogs who had never attacked before responsible for their own injuries, and most insurance companies don't cover injuries like that. There is a clause that negates this if the person attacked was attacked by a dog defending itself, it's owner or the owner's property, or if the person was teasing or being cruel to the dog.
Of course, the city of Denver is planning on appealing the new law, which negates their 15 year old ban on pit bulls.
The other part, the main part, of this legislature makes dog owners liable for damages that their dogs occur if the dog bites/attacks someone from the first instance. In the past, they were only liable if they "knew the dog is vicious". So basically that left any victims of serious dog bites by dogs who had never attacked before responsible for their own injuries, and most insurance companies don't cover injuries like that. There is a clause that negates this if the person attacked was attacked by a dog defending itself, it's owner or the owner's property, or if the person was teasing or being cruel to the dog.
Of course, the city of Denver is planning on appealing the new law, which negates their 15 year old ban on pit bulls.