City targets owners of vicious dogs

[bigdoglover]

Rocky Mountain News

By Charley Able

LAKEWOOD - The City Council unanimously set tough new restrictions and penalties Monday night for owners of dangerous dogs.
"If you are a responsible dog owner taking care of your dog, I want to assure you you have nothing to worry about," said Councilman Ray Elliot. "On the other hand . . . if you are an irresponsible dog owner, you had better be very concerned, especially if that dog is infringing on the safety of residents of our city."

The ordinance - which the council decided to review after Denver, Aurora and Commerce City banned pit-bull breeds - would impose strict mandatory sentencing on owners of vicious animals if adopted by the council on second reading.

It would not ban a specific breed, as other metro-area regulations do.

The changes in the city's dangerous-animal ordinance would strengthen penalties for harboring aggressive or vicious animals. The ordinance would prohibit the possession of a dangerous animal and regulate the seizure of animals when the owners are cited under it.

For offenses in which destruction of the animal is not ordered by the court, the proposed ordinance would require the animals be kept in a secure enclosure that must be inspected and approved by animal-control officers. It also would require that the animal be under control of the owner when outside the pen.

The proposed ordinance would require licensing and microchip identification, court-ordered spaying or neutering of animals deemed aggressive, and that a visible warning be posted on a property where a vicious dog is kept