Meet Penguin, The First Pit Bull Who Will Be Adoptable In Denver In More Than 30 Years
DENVER (CBS4) - For the first time in over 30 years, pit bulls will be up for adoption in Denver shelters this weekend. Saturday will mark the start of the rollout of breed-restricted permits after residents voted to repeal the city's pit bull ban, and the first such dog at the Denver Animal Shelter who will be made available is named Penguin.
Denver City Councilman Christopher Herndon met Penguin on Wednesday and posed for a photo with what he says is a "sweet girl." He later posted the photo on Facebook.
As one might expect, the Facebook post drew numerous comments from both lovers of the animals and those who aren't so sure the ban on them should have been lifted in the City of Denver.
Two proponents of lifting the ban wrote:
Thank you, Councilman for looking past the misinformation and discrimination and listening to the AVMA, the CDC the ASPCA and others who deal in science and facts and not fear mongering.
Thank you, Mr. Herndon, for your resilience supporting our dogs and their owners and for resisting discrimination of all kinds.
Two others shared alternative opinions:
I'm sure you will keep your constituents updated on bite stats and attacks as the effects of your pit bull advocacy appear.
Be careful what you wish for. We would prefer to listen to the surgeon who puts these children back together, not the pit bull advocates.
Penguin and other American Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers haven't been allowed in the city since 1989.
CBS4's report on Wednesday about the restricted-breed assessments that will be getting underway this weekend wound up on the Denver Reddit page and it is also drawing a lot of comments, including this one:
Hope everything goes well. Penguin is a cute name. I just hope this is the right decision from everything we know about pit bulls. It's probably fine for responsible owners but not everyone is that way and unfortunate things can happen.
