A protest of the Denver pit bull ban will be at 1 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Denver City and County Building lawn, 1437 Bannock St. No dogs, please. Organizers for the protest say it will be a peaceful, educational opportunity for the public to learn about pit bulls, and a chance to announce details of an organization being launched to fight breed-specific legislation.

Since Denver reinstated its pit bull ban in 2005, forums and Web sites, including www.denverkillsdogs.com, have cropped up against the ban. According to www.denverkillsdogs.com, more than 1,800 pit bulls have been euthanized in Denver from 2005 to 2008.

The ban prohibits pit bulls and any mix-breed dog determined to be part pit bull. Denver originally banned pit bulls in 1989 after a 54-year-old minister was attacked by a pit bull. A 5-year-old was killed by a pit bull the year before.

Ban opponents say the problem isn’t with the breed, it’s with a small percentage of irresponsible dog owners. Those against the ban say pit bull attacks are rare; data collected for the Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs, which is comprised of animal control agencies and others, found that among the 129 different breeds of dogs that bite in Colorado, no one breed bites more than others.

Many against the ban say that the answer is dog behavior education and neuter control. If you want to learn more about breed specific bans and alternatives, listen to the latest episode of the Dog Doctor Radio Show, hosted by well respected canine behaviorist Dr. Robert Forto and is presented by Denver Dog Works in Colorado.

Linda Hart, an Englewood resident who doesn’t own a pit bull but who his helping organize the protest, is working with Denver City Councilwoman Carla Madison of District 8 on a proposal to relax the law. Among other things, the proposal would require pit bull owners to pay a $50 fee for a pit bull permit, buy a homeowners or renters insurance policy worth at least $1 million and dogs would have to undergo temperament testing.

For more information, call Sherri Moore at 303-396-5327 e-mail jan@denverkillsdogs.com.