AURORA, Colo. — The nearly decades-long debate over whether pit bulls should be allowed in the city of Aurora seems to finally be coming to an end. On Monday, city council members will begin discussing how to update the city's code to reflect the repeal of the breed-specific ban.
The ban was put into place in 2005 and then supported by voters in 2014.
Back in 2021, the Aurora City Council voted to remove the ban. Restrictions have been lifted since then; however, a district court judge would later rule that any change to the ban would actually require a citizen vote since it was voters who initially approved keeping the ban in place.
In November 2024, 56% of voters said the ban had no place in their city.
"Some of the sweetest animals I've been around out here have been pit bulls, and then some of the meanest have been some Chihuahua," said Aurora dog owner Jay Dougal McKnight. "I think it's kind of a harsh measure. I always have. I really believe the dog reflects who the owner is."
The Dumb Friends League was keeping a close eye on the measure.
"The hardest part was we would see animals sit longer. So you could have a family come in and fall in love with an animal. There would be a sign on their kennel that said you can't adopt this dog out in certain communities," said Ali Mickelson, senior director of advocacy & education at Dumb Friends League.
It's a sentiment echoed by the Denver Animal Shelter.
"Generally, shelters with breed bans, as well as surrounding shelters, receive an influx of the outlawed breed. People bring them in as strays, owners surrender them, or that jurisdiction seizes them. Also, the stigma created by breed bans generally leads to the more difficult placement of these breeds, even in neighboring jurisdictions where there isn’t a ban. This means the animals stay longer at shelters, have limited adoption options, and the financial burden on those shelters and community taxpayers increases," said Lt. Josh Rolfe with Denver Animal Protection.
After the city council rewrites the city's code, it will no longer refer to a breed-specific ban but instead rely on the description of an "aggressive" or "dangerous" animal to deal with issues.
"Breed-specific laws can be difficult to enforce and can be discriminatory against responsible owners and their dogs. By generalizing the behaviors of dogs that look a certain way, innocent dogs and pet owners suffer," said Lt. Rolfe.
If the updated ordinance is approved Monday night, the final reading will take place on December 16. If approved, the ordinance will become effective on January 18, 2025.
As for rental homes or properties limiting residents based on breeds, the City of Aurora explained:
It would be a civil issue if a landlord or property owner sought to prohibit pit bulls in their lease agreements. Pit bull breeds are allowed per city ordinance, so it would be a challenge for a property owner to get such a protection put into place.
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