After gaining momentum and clearing the first two votes in committee, the House of Representatives today killed HB18-1126 by a vote of 29 yea’s and 34 no’s. The bill, as drafted, raised dogs to the same type of protections afforded to political expression, the flag of the United States of America, drought tolerant vegetation and renewable energy devices. The bill, which singled out homeowners and condominium associations, would have prohibited an association, as a matter of public policy, from adopting restrictions and rules to prohibit dogs based upon size, weight and breed. Stay tuned as we find out how the legislature will resolve other bills that impact owners and communities.
5 responses to “HB 18-1126 Loses Its Momentum in the House”
Comments are closed.
So glad this bill was “killed”. Again, large, aggressive dogs do not belong in an HOA. It is not fair to the dogs, nor the residents. Dogs need room to run, and residents should be able to walk their neighborhood without fear of being approached by an aggressive dog. Hopefully, the legislature will continue to say “no” to this bill.
To profile all large dogs as aggressive is a clear indication that research and knowledge has not been sought, or has been ignored. I have owned many large dogs, and many small dogs. I have 19 years of HOA management experience and have navigated hundreds of residents who own both large and small pets. To be clear, any dog that is kept home-bound, large or small, is a disservice to the dog – no matter the size of the home or the layout of the community. I have personally provided training to dogs of all sizes, and have found that many small dogs require greater training to alleviate aggression, born mostly out of fear. I praise this Bill and hope to see it passed. The ignorance of the few who have no knowledge backing their comments, should not override basic respect for Members to be allowed to keep any companion that is their family… no matter the size.
To complete my previous comment, I have also owned the “bully” breeds…a pitbull mix, and a staffordshire bull terrier… both of which are profiled as “bad” breeds. These two dogs have proven to be the kindest and least aggressive of all the dogs I have encountered. I would be most cautious of the owner, not the dog.
I totally disagree. There are more responsible dog owners who take their large pets to areas where they can run and get plenty of exercise than not. Think large cities – which even employ dog walkers. Many people have large dogs in apartments with no problems. It’s unfair to make it sound like large dogs are aggressive. Most bites are actually done by small dogs. There are plenty of ways to regulate “dog walking” in your HOA neighborhood to prevent you encountering any dog – not just large dogs or a breed you loath. It’s so sad that the fear factor is once again being used as a blanket excuse to deny equal rights to dog care givers (owners).
Yay! Great news!