Lafayette’s vicious animal law What the law says: Lafayette’s law outlaws vicious animals within city limits. It describes a vicious animal as one that attacks or bites without being provoked, approaches someone in a terrorizing way or has been trained as a fighting animal. Fines: Mandatory $500 fine first offense. A second offense carries a minimum $750 fine. Animal’s fate: It’s up to a municipal judge to decide whether the animal must be removed from the city or destroyed, or if it can stay with certain provisions.

LAFAYETTE — Spork, a 10-year-old miniature Dachshund up on vicious animal charges in Lafayette for biting a veterinarian technician, has not only his owners fighting to save him, but also a Facebook fan club numbering in the thousands.

In August, Spork’s owners took him to Lafayette’s Jasper Animal Hospital to have a bad tooth extracted. Owner Kelly Walker said she was holding the 17-pound dog in her arms while the technician attached a hospital band, then took out scissors to cut off the excess.

The dog bit the technician in the face when she reached out to take Spork from Walker. Walker said her dog was simply scared — so scared he defecated on her arm — and in pain, not vicious.

“He’s our family pet, our little baby,” she said. ” I just feel like there’s a lot of injustice here all the way around.”

She said what happens to Spork is entirely up to a judge’s discretion, making euthanization and a lifetime in a kennel both possibilities.

Another concern, she said, is people will be reluctant to seek medical care for their dogs, out of fear that they’ll end up in the same position. Vets and other Lafayette dog-related businesses also could lose customers, she said.

“It’s just out of hand,” she said.

Her family has spent about $6,000 so far fighting the ticket. A court hearing is set in April.

The technician, Allyson Stone, lost small pieces of her lips and was treated at Boulder Community Hospital and by a plastic surgeon.

Stone told police that Spork showed no signs he was going to bite, adding that she felt the attack was unprovoked, according to the police report.

She told police she wanted to press charges because she was concerned that Spork would bit his owner or someone else and she wanted to prevent another attack.

Jasper chief veterinarian and founder Donlad Dodge, in a written statement, said the hospital routinely notifies animal control in dog bite cases.

Dodge said that he supported Stone pressing charges because a record is needed when an animal causes serious injury to a person in case of future incidents.

“Jasper Animal Hospital has not advocated for, or participated in any way, in subsequent decisions by the city of Lafayette to prosecute Spark’s guardians,” he said in a statement. “We remain very worried about everyone concerned — the dog, his guardians and the injured technician. We consider this incident a tragedy, and we sincerely wish the best for everyone concerned, Spork in particular.”

Jennifer Edwards, the lawyer representing the Walkers, said the charges should be dismissed.

“The case should have never happened,” she said. “Bites are just an assumed risk of a veterinary technician. It’s the name of the game.”

Colorado law excludes those who work with animals in veterinarian offices from pressing charges in animal bite cases. But Lafayette’s local laws, which take precedence, include a vicious animal law that doesn’t have a similar exclusion. Lafayette also doesn’t allow jury trials in vicious animal cases.

Thousands of people are rallying around Spork.

The “Save Spork” Facebook page has drawn more than 9,000 members, many urging people to boycott the Jasper Animal Hospital or the city itself and to send letters to city officials. Blog posts, mainly in support of Spork, also are proliferating.

In a statement, Lafayette City Administrator Gary Klaphake said city officials can’t influence a court case.

“We are confident that (the judge) will review all the facts of the case based upon the evidence presented in court, decide whether a violation occurred and take appropriate action only if there was a violation,” Klaphake wrote.

He said the city’s vicious animal ordinance, which also allows dogs to be impounded in the most serious cases, doesn’t mandate euthanization “other than in extreme circumstances as required by a judge.”

The Lafayette City Council approved the vicious animal law in 2006. The council steered clear of an all-out breed ban, instead taking a broader approach to dealing with aggressive animals.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Amy Bounds at 303-473-1341 or

boundsa@dailycamera.com.