Animals in the City
Animal Waste Disposal
Although it is not illegal to allow your dog to poop on someone else’s property, it is illegal if the dog damages or destroys landscaping or fencing, or if the excrement is not removed immediately. But bear in mind that some neighbors work hard on their yards, and they see dogs relieving themselves on their prize daffodils as an affront. It is best to avoid any potential conflict by steering your best pal to the tree lawn, which is public right-of-way. Denver ordinance requires that excrement be removed immediately from any property that is not your own, public or private. Animal excrement cannot be discarded in storm sewers, but may be tossed into trash receptacles if it’s contained in a closed plastic bag or other closed airtight nonporous container.
Leash Law
By law, dogs are not permitted to “run at large.” This means the owner, possessor or keeper must have control of the dog through the use of a leash, cord or chain, and the leash must be in the hands of a human, not tied to a post, fence, etc. There is no length requirement in the leash law, but the person on the other end of the leash must have control of the dog or it is a violation. A dog may also be classified as running at large if it is confined in such a way as to allow the dog to have access to the public right-of-way. This means a dog cannot “break the plane of a fence,” so for example sticking its head over a fence to bark at someone is a violation.
Breed Ban Enforcement
Denver law prohibits any person from owning, possessing, keeping, exercising control over, maintaining, harboring or selling a pit bull in the City and County of Denver. A pit bull is defined as any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of these breeds. (Physical traits of American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are listed at www.akc.org/breeds/breeds_a.cfm.) It is permissible to transport illegal breeds directly through the county, from a starting point outside of Denver to another destination outside of Denver, provided the dog remains in the vehicle.