Denver Officials and Animal Control Thinks You Are Stupid

“We have always allowed pit bulls as service dogs,” he said. “I think what they’re talking about is it was memorialized in writing.” He is Doug Kelley, director of Denver Animal Control. And he's talking about how Denver apparently has always allowed Pit Bulls as service animals, stop being so mean!

Oh man, Kelley, you're a laugh riot! Wait, you're serious? That's even funnier.

Because back on December 6, 2010, your Denver city council voted against accepting Pit bulls as service animals. Here are the minutes and the 9 "home rule is sacred" members who voted against the civil rights of disabled persons.

CB10-0724 A bill for an ordinance amending section 55 of Chapter 8 of the Revised Municipal Code to allow for the affirmative defense that a pit bull is a service animal within the Americans with Disabilities Act and deleting obsolete language.  (HEALTH, SAFETY, EDUCATION & SERVICES )
	A motion offered by Councilmember Hancock, duly seconded by Councilmember Linkhart that CB10-0724 be ordered published failed to carry by the following vote:
	Failed
	For: Boigon, Linkhart, Madison, Sandoval (4)
	Against: Brown, Faatz, Hancock, Johnson, Lehmann, Lopez, Montero, Nevitt, Robb (9)
	Absent: (None) (0)

I find it a smidgen difficult to believe you've had this unwritten ethereal policy in place for the past two decades when, in fact, your city council has staunchly stood against the civil rights of disabled persons and made that very clear. Here's one of them, " "We're going to stand up for our home rule authority. That's a very sacred belief that we have in our laws in Colorado that our local government can control our animal control ordinances," Denver District 6 Councilman Charlie Brown said. " 

That is a big fuck you to disabled persons, courtesy of Denver Councilman Charlie Brown. Why does he has hate Americans with disabilities so much? Don't be a hater, Charlie Brown!

So Mr. Kelley, I guess all those lawsuits filed against your city for violating the civil rights of American citizens were pointless? Because none of those people were denied Pit Bulls as service dogs in your city? Wow, I may  not know a whole hell of a lot about lawsuits, but I am pretty certain they aren't filed willy-nilly in response to nothing. That is, they don't appear out of thin air. Those lawsuits were filed for a reason. That reason is called your city violating civil rights. Ouch! I can see why you'd want to pretend that never happened.

You can read the policy change here.

Doug Kelley is a liar. The Denver city council are liars. And they are trying to con you into believing them. But the truth is easy to find. Denver has worked tirelessly to violate the civil rights of its own residents, by denying them access to a service dog. They have spent thousands of dollars to fight lawsuits that seek to rectify civil rights violations.

And even though they have changed their policy (because they were wrong but won't admit it), they are STILL not in compliance with the federal ADA:

This policy change permits Denver animal control officers to further investigate law-abiding citizens with disabilities if their service dog looks like a Pit Bulls. Wrong. The ADA allows you to ask two questions: Is the animal required b/c of a disability and what services does the dog perform. That's it. You don't get to throw food at the dog or try to incite him to violence or flash neon lights at him to see if he blinks.

In conclusion, things Denver hates: Pit Bulls and Civil Rights.

Denver...ites, don't let it be this way. Tomorrow, vote out those douche-canoes who hate your civil rights and think you're dumb, and vote in folks who think civil rights are neato.

H/T: KC Dog Blog