Mauling by dangerous dogs is a tragedy, and a frightening headline. It happens in Colorado and every other state in the nation. Most of the 4.7 million people a year in the United States injured by dog bites don’t rate headline coverage, but their experiences demonstrate a serious public safety issue, a public safety issue that disproportionately affects children and the elderly.

The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs is a group of Colorado animal health, care, and control professionals who have come together to offer assistance to municipalities striving to create and enforce good dangerous dog laws. The Coalition also aims to educate owners and the general public on how to live safely with dogs.

The organization members of the Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs include:

• All Breed Rescue Network (ABRN)
• Animal Assistance Foundation (AAF)
• Colorado Association of Animal Control Officers (CAACO)
• Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians (CACVT)
• Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies (CFAWA)
• Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
• Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society (DAVMS)
• Metro Denver Shelter Alliance (MDSA)
• Summerlee Foundation

In response to public safety concerns about dog attacks, municipalities around the country are looking for solutions in dealing with dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs. Unfortunately, the regulations that many jurisdictions are considering focus solely on controlling specific breeds or types of dogs—“breed bans.” But breed bans do not address the complexity of issues surrounding dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs. And they are not comprehensive solutions.

While breed bans may reduce people’s fears in the short-term, they actually give people a false sense of security and are not the solution to the socio-economic issues of crime, animal abuse, and ignorance that are at the root of the problem.

Instead of breed-specific legislation, the Coalition advocates for better dangerous dog laws that address owner responsibility as well as the socio-economic factors that create the problem of dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs (such as people who obtain dogs for guarding and impeding police  action and gang members and street punks who obtain dogs to intimidate people).

The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs seeks to educate the public about the many issues that cause the problem of dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs and to assist policymakers who want to develop a comprehensive approach to solve this problem. A well-planned proactive community approach can make a substantial impact.

Mission/Purpose

The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs exists to promote understanding of the human and animal behaviors that impact community safety and to reframe the civic conversation about dangerous dogs.