Wheat Ridge council adopts comprehensive animal code updates, bans swine in city limits
June 08, 2026 | Wheat Ridge City, Jefferson County, Colorado
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The Wheat Ridge City Council on June 8 adopted Council Bill 7‑2026, a package of amendments to the city code that updates animal welfare rules, clarifies enforcement pathways and prohibits keeping swine in the city’s zoning districts.
The ordinance, presented by Deputy City Manager Maryanne Schilling, combines and refines several sections of Chapter 4 (Animals), adds an administration section to Chapter 2 to support new administrative hearings, and aligns Chapter 26 (Zoning and Development) with the animal provisions.
Schilling said the changes respond to inconsistencies and gaps discovered during a year‑long review. Key provisions include consolidating separate definitions for “vicious,” “dangerous” and “aggressive” animals into consistent categories; expanding the “animals at large” rule, previously limited to dogs, to apply to all animals while clarifying that animals on their owner’s property are not considered at large; and removing criminal penalties tied specifically to off‑leash dog park violations so such issues can be handled civilly under parks rules.
The code now requires owners to report incidents in which an animal breaks a person’s skin to a city community service officer within 48 hours, a measure Schilling said aligns with rabies‑control best practices. The ordinance also prohibits obtaining a rabies vaccination for an animal during a 10‑day quarantine following a bite, noting vaccinations can interfere with diagnostic evaluation.
Other changes clarify authority and process for municipal court and administrative actions: the municipal court may place holds on animals suspected of neglect or identified as dangerous until a case resolves; court‑ordered requirements for keeping a dangerous animal now specify childproof enclosures; the code establishes procedures for kennel inspections and authorizes law enforcement to issue guard‑dog cease‑and‑desist orders subject to administrative hearing and appeal.
The amendments revise the city’s treatment of exotic and endangered species to allow licensed entities to keep them under specified conditions, set limits on roosters (one on properties under one acre, up to three on larger properties), and explicitly prohibit swine in all zone districts. Schilling noted prior council consensus to use plain language in the code and to replace certain prior exemptions (for example, the earlier proposal to exempt domestic cats from at‑large rules was removed).
Councilors praised staff for extensive outreach and deliberation during study sessions and voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance on second reading.
The ordinance takes effect per the standard schedule in the code; council members asked staff to stay engaged with enforcement partners and the public to clarify implementation details.
The ordinance, presented by Deputy City Manager Maryanne Schilling, combines and refines several sections of Chapter 4 (Animals), adds an administration section to Chapter 2 to support new administrative hearings, and aligns Chapter 26 (Zoning and Development) with the animal provisions.
Schilling said the changes respond to inconsistencies and gaps discovered during a year‑long review. Key provisions include consolidating separate definitions for “vicious,” “dangerous” and “aggressive” animals into consistent categories; expanding the “animals at large” rule, previously limited to dogs, to apply to all animals while clarifying that animals on their owner’s property are not considered at large; and removing criminal penalties tied specifically to off‑leash dog park violations so such issues can be handled civilly under parks rules.
The code now requires owners to report incidents in which an animal breaks a person’s skin to a city community service officer within 48 hours, a measure Schilling said aligns with rabies‑control best practices. The ordinance also prohibits obtaining a rabies vaccination for an animal during a 10‑day quarantine following a bite, noting vaccinations can interfere with diagnostic evaluation.
Other changes clarify authority and process for municipal court and administrative actions: the municipal court may place holds on animals suspected of neglect or identified as dangerous until a case resolves; court‑ordered requirements for keeping a dangerous animal now specify childproof enclosures; the code establishes procedures for kennel inspections and authorizes law enforcement to issue guard‑dog cease‑and‑desist orders subject to administrative hearing and appeal.
The amendments revise the city’s treatment of exotic and endangered species to allow licensed entities to keep them under specified conditions, set limits on roosters (one on properties under one acre, up to three on larger properties), and explicitly prohibit swine in all zone districts. Schilling noted prior council consensus to use plain language in the code and to replace certain prior exemptions (for example, the earlier proposal to exempt domestic cats from at‑large rules was removed).
Councilors praised staff for extensive outreach and deliberation during study sessions and voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance on second reading.
The ordinance takes effect per the standard schedule in the code; council members asked staff to stay engaged with enforcement partners and the public to clarify implementation details.
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