Denver pit-bull owners in a pinch

April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 7, 2005 at midnight

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A nameless Denver resident left a pit bull terrier, housed in a crate, on the doorstep of the Longmont Humane Society in the middle of the night this week.

The shelter has taken in three other pit bulls from Denver owners who are desperate to find a sanctuary for their pets as the city prepares to resume its ban outlawing the breed on Monday.

"As far as we're concerned, it's a really difficult problem for us and across the board," said De Sowler, director of operations for the Longmont shelter.

"Any animal that comes to our door, we'll take. We do not guarantee placement. We're hoping they'll use us as a last resort."

Denver's Animal Control Department has sent letters of warning to about 250 residents who own pit bulls or a mixed breed of the dog, reminding them of the Sunday deadline.

The Colorado Attorney General's office decided last week not to appeal a district court judge's ruling that upheld the city's right to ban pit bulls.

The city sued to protect its ban after state lawmakers adopted a law last year that prohibited cities and counties from outlawing a specific breed of dog. In upholding Denver's ban last month, Judge Martin Egelhoff said that the state failed to disprove the violent nature of pit bull attacks.

Doug Kelley, director of animal control for Denver, said the city will begin impounding pit bulls spotted during routine neighborhood sweeps, and will visit the homes of those who received letters in coming weeks.

Denver resident Elena Garcia, 41, said she's been hard-pressed to find a new home for her two pit bull terriers, Zeus and Thunder.

"We're trying to find a good home where I know they'll take care of them and feed them well," she said. "If worse comes to worse, I'd rather them put them a sleep myself than have someone else do it," Garcia said, as she choked back tears.

Animal shelters from Colorado Springs to Tabletop Mountain Animal Center in Jefferson County say they have room to take in pit bulls, but are bound by various restrictions.

Humane Society of The Pikes Peak Region may only come to the rescue of pit bulls outside Colorado Springs that are no older than 4-months.

In all cases, pit bulls taken in by the shelter are evaluated for behavioral issues to ensure they are safe to adopt, said Ann Hagerty, spokeswoman for the society.

"It's a sad situation," she said. "It's so hard for the pet owners. People aren't looking to adopt pit bulls."

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