Let's all take a moment today to recognize a piece of well-written, sensible legislation. SB 13-226, the "Dog Protection Act," is on its way to the Senate floor after receiving unanimous committee approval. Cosponsors in the Senate are David Balmer (R-Centennial) and Lucia Guzman (D-Denver). Their House counterparts are Lois Court (D-Denver) and Don Coram (R-Montrose).
The proposed legislation reacts to a rash of dog shootings by law enforcement, characterized by pet dogs and service animals killed without giving owners a chance to contain their pets. Some such incidents were captured on video, showing no trace of aggression on the dog's part. Most police officers aren't animal behavior experts and may mistake a friendly greeting for an aggressive display.
To reduce needless deaths of non-dangerous dogs, the Dog Protection Act empowers a twenty-three member volunteer task force to create training for law enforcement officers on dealing with dogs. The legislation requires that, in non-violent situations, law enforcement must give dog owners a chance to contain their dogs before using lethal force. This requirement allows for flexibility according to any exigencies present, such as whether officers are responding to a call involving a dog that has bitten a person.
There are a few especially noteworthy things about the Dog Protection Act:
Although this legislation seems to be headed for prompt passage–as it should be–it can't hurt for dog lovers to send a friendly, personal reminder to their legislators that a vote in favor of SB 13-226 is a vote in favor of the Colorado lifestyle. We're outdoorsy, friendly, loving people, and the hundreds of dog-friendly eatery/coffeehouse/brewery patios in the state can testify to the role which dogs play in our social lives. Any Coloradoan should be able to reasonably presume that a non-violent encounter with law enforcement won't result in shots fired at any family member, whether canine or human.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
BY: JohnInDenver
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: 2Jung2Die
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: MichaelBowman
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: Duke Cox
IN: Who’s Paying For These Racist Anti-Harris Sign Stunts?
BY: davebarnes
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: notaskinnycook
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: 2Jung2Die
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: notaskinnycook
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
BY: Colorado Pols
IN: Who’s Paying For These Racist Anti-Harris Sign Stunts?
BY: JohnInDenver
IN: Labor Day Weekend Open Thread
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!
This is great to see, even from a nut like Balmer. Thanks for posting.
ESPECIALLY from someone like Balmer. It's a nice reminder that even those whose policies generally seem nutty from our side of the aisle really are making a good-faith effort to govern well. Their idea of "well" is just dramatically different from ours.
Nah… he probably just likes doggies. But still, it's nice to see.
if I have an assault weapon and a mass murder magazine I should be able to use it whenver someone looks at me wierd
You're supposed to shoot humans and venison, not dogs u_u
This is really nice to see. Kudos to all involved.
agree with all. This is a good step toward civilization
I say we pack this team off to D.C. and have them hold classes for those ill-beaved brats in Congress in how to work and play well with others.
Last year I sat behind Balmer at a committee hearing a bill on foreclosure reform. As foreclosure victims were testifyimg about how they had lost their homes due to the fraudulent and even illegal actions of banks, Balmer had his laptop on surfing the web looking at dog sites and dog pictures. He then voted against the foreclosure reform bill which was killed.
As a dog owner myself I'm glad Balmer is sponsoring this bill. But I wish he could show as much compassion and empathy for the families of foreclosure fraud as he does for our four legged family members.