Colorado § 30-15-101 - Pet animal control and licensing.

§ 30-15-101. Pet animal control and licensing.

(1) (a) The board of county commissioners of any county may adopt a resolution for the control and licensing of dogs and other pet animals as provided in this part 1. The resolution may:

(I) Require licensing of dogs and other pet animals by owners and impose reasonable conditions and fees on the same. No registration permit or license shall be issued by any board of county commissioners unless and until the owner of a dog, cat, or ferret exhibits to the board or designated official a valid rabies vaccination certificate indicating the dog, cat, or ferret has been vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. The county pet animal control resolution may exempt dogs, cats, or ferrets below a specified age from licensing and registration or vaccination requirements, or both; except that the recommendations of the department of public health and environment shall be followed concerning the minimum age for the vaccination.

(II) Require that dogs and other pet animals be under control at all times and define "control", which may vary from time to time, place to place, and animal to animal;

(III) Define "vicious dog" and "vicious animal";

(IV) Establish a dog pound, or other animal holding facility, and engage personnel to operate it and otherwise to enforce the county dog control resolution or any other resolution concerning the control of pet animals;

(V) Provide for the impoundment of animals which are vicious, not under control, or otherwise not in conformity with the resolutions;

(VI) Establish terms and conditions for the release or other disposition of impounded animals;

(VII) Establish such other reasonable regulations and restrictions for the control of dogs and other pet animals as the board of county commissioners may deem necessary.

(b) The control provisions of such resolution, as provided in subparagraph (II) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), shall not apply to dogs while actually working livestock, locating or retrieving wild game in season for a licensed hunter, or assisting law enforcement officers or while actually being trained for any of these pursuits.

(2) In order to implement the provisions of this section, any county or municipality may enter into an intergovernmental agreement pursuant to the provisions of part 2 of article 1 of title 29, C.R.S., to provide for the control, licensing, impounding, or disposition of dogs or other pet animals or to provide for the accomplishment of any other aspect of a county or municipal dog control or pet animal control licensing resolution or ordinance.

(3) Repealed.

Source: L. 77: Entire part R&RE, p. 1443, § 1, effective July 7. L. 94: Entire section amended, p. 1239, § 10, effective May 22; (1)(a)(I) amended, p. 2799, § 556, effective July 1. L. 2005: IP(1)(a) and (1)(a)(I) amended, p. 773, § 55, effective June 1. L. 2014: IP(1)(a) and (1)(a)(I) amended, (HB 14-1313), ch. 368, p. 1758, § 1, effective August 6. L. 2025: (3) repealed, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2109, § 336, effective August 6.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former §§ 30-15-101 and 30-15-102 as they existed prior to 1977.

(2) Amendments to this section by House Bill 94-1137 and House Bill 94-1029 were harmonized.

(3) Subsection (3) was relocated to § 30-15-100.3 in 2025.