Spend No Dollars in Denver, Colorado
In honor of Forrest and all dogs in Denver facing breed extermination, We the undersigned make Denver this promise: We will keep our dollars out of Denver until the repeal of your breed ban ordinance [sec 8-55 Municipal Code].
As a misguided public safety measure, Denver's breed ban mandates the confiscation and killing of any dog fitting the description of a "pit bull" or a mixed breed dog having the physical characteristics of a "pit bull." Since May 2005, Denver has ordered and carried out the killing of more than 1,700 dogs merely because they were, or looked like, a "pit bull."
Even friendly, non-aggressive family dogs, like Forrest, belonging to the McGahey family, do not escape Denver's death warrant. When Denver Animal Control picked up Forrest, a lost dog from Adams County (borders Denver city limits) in July 2008, Chris McGahey was forced to hire an attorney to keep Denver from killing his dog. Forrest was incarcerated at the shelter for two months while Chris and his attorney Karen Breslin did everything possible to secure the release of Forrest. Pleading for Forrest's return, Chris promised to move to Ft Collins (57 miles north of Denver), pay any fines, and never again visit the city of Denver.
Not good enough for Denver.
After a loud public outcry barraged city officials with letters and phone calls, Forrest was kicked out of Colorado and surrendered to a rescue organization in St Louis, MO. Denver ordered that Forrest NOT be adopted back to his real family (Stray Dog Rescue, MO confirmed this and must now put Forrest up for adoption). Not only has Denver punished Chris by shipping his beloved dog out of state, Chris is now facing criminal charges against him for violating the breed ban ordinance - punishable by a $5,000 fine and possible jail time. Unbelievable!
Dear City Council members,
You have terrorized dog owners living in Denver and traveling through your fine city long enough. Until you repeal your breed ban and replace it with responsible legislation that will rightly punish irresponsible dog owners in possession of dangerous dogs - regardless of breed - you can look forward to a drop in tourism and fewer home buyers. We expect you will respond to complaints from the travel industry and Denver business owners since you have ignored the voices of outraged dog owners and numerous animal welfare organizations who have spoken out against breed bans and other breed discriminatory laws.
Never in Denver Boycott: Freedom loving Americans together with our fellow global allies have promised not to spend a single dollar in Denver. No vacations. No homes. No Shopping. Can you hear that Denver?
More info at http://www.denverkillsdogs.com/
Join an aggressive, grassroots movement to stop the establishment of breed restrictive policies that are taking over our country at http://www.roverlution.org/.
Be the proud dog owner of any breed!
In honor of Forrest and all dogs in Denver facing breed extermination, We the undersigned make Denver this promise: We will keep our dollars out of Denver until the repeal of your breed ban ordinance [sec 8-55 Municipal Code].
As a misguided public safety measure, Denver's breed ban mandates the confiscation and killing of any dog fitting the description of a "pit bull" or a mixed breed dog having the physical characteristics of a "pit bull." Since May 2005, Denver has ordered and carried out the killing of more than 1,700 dogs merely because they were, or looked like, a "pit bull."
Even friendly, non-aggressive family dogs, like Forrest, belonging to the McGahey family, do not escape Denver's death warrant. When Denver Animal Control picked up Forrest, a lost dog from Adams County (borders Denver city limits) in July 2008, Chris McGahey was forced to hire an attorney to keep Denver from killing his dog. Forrest was incarcerated at the shelter for two months while Chris and his attorney Karen Breslin did everything possible to secure the release of Forrest. Pleading for Forrest's return, Chris promised to move to Ft Collins (57 miles north of Denver), pay any fines, and never again visit the city of Denver.
Not good enough for Denver.
After a loud public outcry barraged city officials with letters and phone calls, Forrest was kicked out of Colorado and surrendered to a rescue organization in St Louis, MO. Denver ordered that Forrest NOT be adopted back to his real family (Stray Dog Rescue, MO confirmed this and must now put Forrest up for adoption). Not only has Denver punished Chris by shipping his beloved dog out of state, Chris is now facing criminal charges against him for violating the breed ban ordinance - punishable by a $5,000 fine and possible jail time. Unbelievable!
Dear City Council members,
You have terrorized dog owners living in Denver and traveling through your fine city long enough. Until you repeal your breed ban and replace it with responsible legislation that will rightly punish irresponsible dog owners in possession of dangerous dogs - regardless of breed - you can look forward to a drop in tourism and fewer home buyers. We expect you will respond to complaints from the travel industry and Denver business owners since you have ignored the voices of outraged dog owners and numerous animal welfare organizations who have spoken out against breed bans and other breed discriminatory laws.
Never in Denver Boycott: Freedom loving Americans together with our fellow global allies have promised not to spend a single dollar in Denver. No vacations. No homes. No Shopping. Can you hear that Denver?
More info at http://www.denverkillsdogs.com/
Join an aggressive, grassroots movement to stop the establishment of breed restrictive policies that are taking over our country at http://www.roverlution.org/.
Be the proud dog owner of any breed!
I urge you to read the comments left on this petition and see for yourself that Denver is rapidly becoming a very unpopular city for tourists and business owners.
You have the power and influence to repeal your breed ban and put in its place a stronger non-breed specific dangerous dog ordinance. Linda Hart from the Colorado Dog Federation has offered her legislative expertise in this area and has prevented several other Colorado cities from following in Denver's dangerous footsteps. You can contact Linda Hart at (303) 842-1033. Get more info at: http://www.codogfederation.org/
You may also contact me should you wish to hear testimony from a veterinarian and proud owner of two lovable dogs your city has banned and deems fit to kill.
Regards,
Paula Terifaj, DVM
Founders Veterinary Clinic
330 N Brea #F
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 990-0661
stop judgeing the breed till u own one i have 8 none has bite anyone or bite any other animals never tore anything up never got tickets for any of them for anything so stop judging them stop the ban denver ther is still alot of loving trusting pits now because this is getting bad about the pit breed they are getting dump off at my house at midnight cant turn them away i luv the breed ,,,,,,,, if ya dont train them dont blame them
My husband and I have been dreaming of moving to Denver in the next couple of years. The ban on pitbulls kills that dream. We own a pitbull who is a precious member of our family and we would never part with her. This is very disappointing. Shame on you.
I feel anyone involved in upholding this ban should be subjected to an equal or more severe punishment that Michael Vick received for killing and torturing pit bulls. These people are no better if not much worse.
This is an atrocity. Denver should not only end breed extermination, we should also adopt a no kill shelter law. Please read the No Kill Declaration. We must evolve beyond such disgusting and short sighted policies. we must become human beings. Policies like this make us unworthy of even being called mammals.
Pit bulls are loving and caring animals!! Shame on you Denver!!!
I am a proud owner of a pit bull breed, that is my RIGHT to own any breed that I wish. I can assure you that my friends and I will NEVER vist your city or state that is our RIGHT!!!!!!! LOVEMYDOGGYS@YAHOO.COM
You can not sit there and say that ONE breed is more or less worse than the other! If a little chihuahua was barking at someone they would be like "aww how cute. look at this little dog" and think nothing of it because it's a chihuahua. But if it's a pitbull or german shepherd or any big dog, people freak out! Your ignorance and scaredness of dogs makes the world the way it is. Would you kill Ceasar Milan's pitbulls even though he is the Dog Whisperer and can train any dog? I don't think so.
I am originally from Denver, and always dreamed I would move back. However, with BSL in the area, I will not be returning back home. I can only hope that one day my beloved pittie and I can walk freely on the streets where I grew up.
We were planning on moving to Denver to accept job offers until we learned about the ban. Now, I will never travel to Denver, or through Denver again.
Living in Colorado Springs, I am an easy drive to Denver. However, I will NEVER spend any money in your city until this horrific breed ban is abolished. As a civilized society, there are much better ways to address the problem of dog bites (not just those of pit bulls) than the deliberate murder of thousands of innocent dogs.
i will never do business in Denver or with businesses that have any portion of their operations in Denver until this ban is lifted. Period!
Stop taking LIFE! Stop being a MURDERER!!!
All of you will be punished for murder ! The Universe has its way of taking care of innocence . You won't be able to find peace after being involved in a total massacre !!! These dogs are full of love! They are family and have the purest spirit, like all animals !
How DARE you.....Did you just get tired of fighting the OWNERS responsible for mean dogs of ALL breeds or were you just too lazy to do the footwork to find them? You thought the dogs would be an easier target, didn't you? I hope you regret that decision for the rest of your life.
Spread the word
I thought about visiting Denver this year for a ski trip but now after learning about this, I will not contribute to a city that is so short-sited. The problem is not the dogs, it is lack of education by the people who train animals to be vicious. The American Pitbull by nature is KNOWN to be one of the most loyal and loving dogs - because of its loyalty to the owner it is able to be trained to do anything - because of its strength, relative to many other large dogs - it's abilities have been abused by criminals. The punishment does not fit the crime here. Dogs should be evaluated on a case by case basis. Just as we evaluate people in our criminal justice system case by case. The fact that a harmless family dog can be uprooted and set to be destroyed is a true fact of the misguidance of this municipal code. Until the code is changed - i will never come to Denver, along with all my fellow dog and animal lovers.
