Current information:

(Pet Animal Care Facilities Act) program. The Sunset review Bill SB19-158 passed and became law in 2019.  Signed into law in September 2019.  Rule making is over for 2019. We absolutely thank our legislators for their outstanding work. 

TABTO.org testified and were stakeholders on the Sunset Review, spay and neuter legislation, HB1160, HB1102 and have been active within many associations and were stakeholders within the Department of Agriculture. We are advocates for better standards or care for all our companion animals.

Spay/Neuter Policy  became law in October of 2019. Regulated by PACFA in our Department of Agriculture. SB19-158 Sunset Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act, "...removes the option of an animal shelter or pet animal rescue to release a dog or cat to a prospective owner with spaying or neutering. The commissioner of agriculture may grant an exemption to a facility in an area with limited access to licensed veterinarians or for the safety of an animal. Per law and rule the organization must spay and neuter the animal.  It is the responsibility of the rescue to provide this service to the our community at large  Rescues should not put the financial burden on the adopter. That was not the intent of the law. Modifications and rules need to be revisited on altering our companion animals. 

A new rule was passed that rescues and shelters  must disclosure and document any aggressive, sick or abnormalities in any animal that is known to a Rescue, Shelter, adopter, and dog training facility.  

The “Humane Pet Act” did not move out of committee. 

It was introduced in 2020 by Representative Monica Duran and Marlon Reis. It was written by the The National Humane Society.  The Humane Pet Act.

The bill never made it out of Committee. 

Standards of care: The standards of care and our retail rescue industry in Colorado should be addressed as that is where the most violations exist. All offenders should be held to the same standards and regulatory oversight as Pet Stores. We have more violations and violators in the non profit rescue world. We only have 9 pet stores doing small amounts of business with few violations. We should be working across party lines getting the facts and working together. Our regulatory standards must increase.   We would like to see Marlon Reis be a leader and support the industry as a whole advocating and becoming more educated about the issues. He has no understanding of the rescuing or sheltering industry.  Fact checking or research in the industry is imperative in a trusted leader. Let's focus on our Colorado consumers and the puppies and dogs that are already here in Colorado. Whether pet store, rescue, or shelter regulation and compliance should be for all. There should be no discrimination. Marlon Reis should be promoting and supporting the PACFA program and working across party lines. 

HB21-1102 was introduced by Monica Duran and Matt Soper. It was another controversial bill aimed at closing pet stores. Many stakeholders were left out of the process. The bill was aimed at closing the Pet Stores hidden under consumer protection language. The bill ended as a disclosure of information bill.  The bill was gutted and had very little support. Transparency and facts seem to be be overlooked. Political agendas always seem to be at play. The animals are secondary.

The Socially Conscious bill was introduced in the 2021 legislative session.  

HB21-1160 passed the house committee 10-1, and Senate 5-1.  PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE the second and third readings, unanimously. It became law in August 2021. The rules will be discussed through PACFA with Stakeholders in the industry soon.

The warehousing of our companion animals will now be regulate and their will be language and an enrichment plan developed to protect our animals being warehoused.  (Warehousing of dogs will finally be addressed). 

Many dogs are suffering mentally and physically warehoused in boarding facilities and animal rescue shelter facilities.

A new bill passed granting additional duties and powers to thee bureau of animal protection agents (agent), including the authority to conduct investigations; to take possession of and impound any animal that the agent has probable cause to believe is a victim of cruelty to animals; and to take possession of and impound a dog if the agent has probable cause to believe the dog is a dangerous dog.

Bureau of Animal Protection(BAP)

They are designated as an investigative agency for animal neglect and cruelty in numerous Colorado counties and provides three ways to report by: calling their toll free animal cruelty hotline (1-800-249-5121) 

Bureau of Animal Protection

The Bureau of Animal Protection (BAP) serves as a support mechanism to local law enforcement agencies in conducting animal cruelty and neglect investigations.

Laws and Regulations.