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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Colorado Leash Laws

I had a request to write about Colorado Leash Laws. After some research I came up with a lot of links and a remaining level of confusion. Here are the basics of what I found with a following list of links that might be helpful:

-Colorado State does not have any state-wide leash laws.
-Individual counties within Colorado State may or may not have existing leash laws.
-Jefferson and Denver counties do have leash laws
-Arapahoe county seems to not have leash laws
-If you would like to let your dog off ANYWHERE then you should either check online ahead of time to verify the leash laws within the county that you will be in. Also, you should check to see if the area is authorized to have dogs at all. For example, some hiking trails don't allow dogs at all, leashed or not (such as Hanging Lake near Glenwood Springs).
-Many counties offer off-leash dog parks.
-If you are caught with your dog off leash in a county that does have leash laws you are likely to get fined $50.00, and $50.00 for each additional offense, with a possible $300.00 fine for multiple violations.
-It appears that many counties "Require that dogs and other pet animals be under control at all times and define "control", which may vary from time to time, place to place, and animal to animal". So I guess that if your dog is under perfect voice "control" it is still up to the officer to decide whether or not you deserve a ticket in that county, depending on which county you're in. (This is all very vague... I'm sorry)
-If you are going to walk your dog off leash and risk the ticket, at least make sure they are registered so you don't get fined for that as well.

Please remember that having your dog on a leash at all times CAN serve many purposes. For example, if your pet is charged by an aggressive domestic or wild animal or is presented with some other physical obstacle or accident a leash and harness could potentially allow you to remove or retrieve your pet from a harmful situation more quickly (or at all).

Also, if your pet is within visual distance of you, you are more likely to notice if your pet finds something tasty and dangerous/poisonous on the ground and eats it.
Even well trained pets can be distracted by sudden moving objects such as cats, rabbits, squirrels, etc. A fast moving object might cause your well trained dog to have a lapse in judgment and run out into oncoming traffic.

Dogs don't always notice certain dangers that are right in front of their nose... such as salt used to melt ice (which can burn their paws and later, when they lick their paws, ingesting it could potentially cause health problems), or thin ice, sharp objects like glass, etc. Keeping your dog on a leash allows you to make a last minute pull to stop your dog from stepping on something that is dangerous. (I had to do this once with my dog during a hike when we came upon a rattlesnake. If she hadn't been on the leash it would have bit her right on the nose... no kidding.)

Here are some links for you to reference if you are considering not using a leash for your dog:
"Does my state have a leash law" per state chart with pet control and licensing rules per state. http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovusdogleashlaws.htm
Jefferson County Sherriff Leash Laws Booklet with contact information for Animal Shelters and more http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/sheriff_uploads/leashlaw.pdf
Jefferson County Animal Control contact and licensing and rules http://co.jefferson.co.us/sheriff/sheriff_T62_R29.htm
Jefferson County pet violations and fines http://co.jefferson.co.us/openspace/openspace_T56_R123.htm
Jefferson County Open Space Rules and Regulations http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/rules.pdf
Official Colorado Off Leash Dog Parks and Training Grounds http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/off_leash_areas.pdf
Interesting article about Arapahoe County Leash and Vicious dog rules http://www.zwire.com/site/tab2.cfm?newsid=15764261&BRD=2713&PAG=461&dept_id=559184&rfi=6
Arapahoe County Animal Control with links http://www.co.arapahoe.co.us/Departments/PW/AnimalControl/index.asp

NOTE: Incorporate the cost of training into the overall cost of your pet, as training is a necessity... 70% of domestic pets end up in shelters due to insufficient training. Training is not just for your pet, it is for you... you must understand the messages you are sending your pet because they don't always perceive your actions the way you mean them. Also, not all trainers are equal. Petsmart and Petco training is more like socialization training. Some trainers style will clash with your beliefs or desires. INTERVIEW your trainer before committing or paying... find one that you feel comfortable with. Hero's Pets can recommend many great trainers.

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