Aurora’s breed ban up in the air after judge’s rulling

AURORA, Colo. — More than three years after Aurora City Council voted to lift a ban on ownership of multiple dog breeds a district judge sided with a resident who challenged their authority to remove the ban.

The repeal in January 2021 allowed Aurora residents to own pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers within city limits. At the time, Mayor Mike Coffman had proposed a ballot measure on lifting the pit bull ban that would have gone to a vote in November 2021. Coffman’s plan for the ballot measure was rejected with a 3-7 vote.

Aurora resident Matthew Snider filed a legal challenge to the repeal in 2021 and it’s been working its way through the court system. Just last week, a district judge sided with him and found that under Aurora’s City Charter and Code an ordinance submitted by voters through a referendum or resolution could only be changed by a vote.

Judge Elizabeth Beebe Volz concluded that city council lacked the authority to enact the repeal of the ban.

In 2014, Aurora voters rejected a ballot measure to repeal the city’s restricted breed ordinance. About 64% of voters were in favor of keeping the ordinance, which bans the ownership of American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers within city limits.

The city’s ban on owning certain breeds had been in place since 2005.

9NEWS has reached out to the City of Aurora to ask about possible next steps in the wake of the court ruling.

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