Shon
04-16-2004, 06:41 PM
By KYLE HENLEY - THE GAZETTE
DENVER ? A victim of an attack by a vicious dog would be able to sue the owner of the animal under legislation approved in the Colorado Senate on Friday.
House Bill 1279 also would let farmers or ranchers shoot dogs that harass livestock and would forbid cities and counties from banning specific breeds, such as pit bulls.
?This is a bill that gives us an opportunity to hold dog owners responsible when their dog does cause serious damage,? said Sen. Mark Hillman, R-Burlington.
HB1279 was approved by the Senate with a 30-4 vote. The bill was already approved by the House. It now must return to the House for consideration of amendments added in the Senate.
The measure is a response to a Dec. 1 attack by three pit bulls that left a 40-year-old Elbert County woman dead. There have been several other dog attacks in Denver during the last few weeks.
Rep. Michael Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, was the first to propose such legislation. But his bill was defeated and within days HB1237, nearly identical legislation, was introduced with a Republican sponsor.
?I'm really happy it's going through the process,? Merrifield said. ?Regardless of the fact it was a Republican bill, it still accomplishes what we wanted to accomplish. I'm satisfied.?
HB1279 is a major departure from current law, which allows owners to claim ignorance the first time there's an incident revealing an animal's aggressive nature. It is known as the ?one free bite? provision.
HB1279 does away with the free bite law, holding the owner responsible for all attacks by a vicious dog. It also would allow a judge to order owners of aggressive dogs to put the animals to sleep at their own expense.
A controversial amendment was added to the bill Friday, preempting cities and counties from engaging in what some critics call doggy profiling. The city of Denver, for instance, bans pit bulls within city boundaries.
?Just being a member of the pit bull breed ... should not be a crime,? said Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, a veterinarian. ?A breed-ban is unjust. There are other breeds that are more likely to bite you than a pit bull.?
Some opponents of the amendment said lawmakers were overstepping their authority.
?I think we should support local control,? said Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus. ?If our local cities can't make decisions about dogs, what decisions are they capable of making??
CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or khenley@gazette.com
DENVER ? A victim of an attack by a vicious dog would be able to sue the owner of the animal under legislation approved in the Colorado Senate on Friday.
House Bill 1279 also would let farmers or ranchers shoot dogs that harass livestock and would forbid cities and counties from banning specific breeds, such as pit bulls.
?This is a bill that gives us an opportunity to hold dog owners responsible when their dog does cause serious damage,? said Sen. Mark Hillman, R-Burlington.
HB1279 was approved by the Senate with a 30-4 vote. The bill was already approved by the House. It now must return to the House for consideration of amendments added in the Senate.
The measure is a response to a Dec. 1 attack by three pit bulls that left a 40-year-old Elbert County woman dead. There have been several other dog attacks in Denver during the last few weeks.
Rep. Michael Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, was the first to propose such legislation. But his bill was defeated and within days HB1237, nearly identical legislation, was introduced with a Republican sponsor.
?I'm really happy it's going through the process,? Merrifield said. ?Regardless of the fact it was a Republican bill, it still accomplishes what we wanted to accomplish. I'm satisfied.?
HB1279 is a major departure from current law, which allows owners to claim ignorance the first time there's an incident revealing an animal's aggressive nature. It is known as the ?one free bite? provision.
HB1279 does away with the free bite law, holding the owner responsible for all attacks by a vicious dog. It also would allow a judge to order owners of aggressive dogs to put the animals to sleep at their own expense.
A controversial amendment was added to the bill Friday, preempting cities and counties from engaging in what some critics call doggy profiling. The city of Denver, for instance, bans pit bulls within city boundaries.
?Just being a member of the pit bull breed ... should not be a crime,? said Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, a veterinarian. ?A breed-ban is unjust. There are other breeds that are more likely to bite you than a pit bull.?
Some opponents of the amendment said lawmakers were overstepping their authority.
?I think we should support local control,? said Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus. ?If our local cities can't make decisions about dogs, what decisions are they capable of making??
CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or khenley@gazette.com