Matthew Townsend Jailed After Colorado Authorities Determine Daughter's Service Dog Lacks License

By Associated Press

GOLDEN, Colo. -- A suburban Denver couple is fighting fines after the husband was jailed for failure to get a license for his daughter's service dog.

Authorities say another 50 people in Jefferson County could face the same fate.

Matthew Townsend says he spent seven hours in jail after the dog got out and he was issued a $50 ticket. Townsend ignored the ticket and was arrested. His wife was fined $100.

Last year, the county issued nearly 500 citations for violations.

KCNC-TV ( http://cbsloc.al/z1VKE5 ) reports the county needs the money to pay for a new $10 million Foothills Animal Shelter.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[Cat-Lover]

05:28 PM on 02/15/2012

Will the Foothills Animal Shelter be a "No-Kill" Shelter? If not, don't pay the fines!

[Jennifer Zirn]

04:26 PM on 02/15/2012

Licensing is done by county. It is to keep track of the number of dogs and that they are properly rabies vaccines.

Wonder if they were given any previous warnings. If so, then they deserve to be fined. It would have been cheaper and easier to just to get the yearly license for the dog.

[windancin]

01:31 PM on 02/15/2012

Just another way for the city/county/state to make more $$$. They need to focus more on requiring PEOPLE to be licensed to have CHILDREN. With all the child murderer's walking free (usually the parent's).....no questions asked & no jail time !! Oh...and these people shouldn't have to pay a fee for permit/license for their Service Dog. They put this man in JAIL for this.....Absolutely Ridiculous !!! No wonder this country is in such a mess....PRIORITIES are all ^ss backwards !!

[jhnatsgc]

01:15 PM on 02/15/2012

I can sleep comfortably tonight knowing these hardened criminals are off the streets. Good job cops!

[happyone6470]

01:02 PM on 02/15/2012

Don't obtain a license required by law.. Then ignore the ticket you received for not having a license . And then complain that you are being treated unfairly .. Classic example of the mentality that is becoming prevalent in this country .

[cali cali]

01:17 PM on 02/15/2012

And it's not a problem for society to have the mentality to throw people in JAIL over senseless things?! Yeah, OK--I will buy your bullshyt when I win the lottery!!!
Jail has serious implications beyond just sitting in an uncomfortable place for however long.
A person can end up seriously hurt and contract diseases, now a criminal record which could interfere with jobs, etc.---not to mention the humiliation of being strip searched and fingerprinted--and all for not paying a simple fine.
Punishment needs to fit the crime/disliked behavior.

[happyone6470]

01:53 PM on 02/15/2012

Obey the laws and you won't go to jail . Simple as that..

[berlytowns]

05:10 PM on 02/15/2012

Then perhaps he should have licensed his dogs. Saved himself some trouble.

[vandation]

12:47 PM on 02/15/2012

Service dogs can easily get a license FREE by showing a Doctors note that it's needed.

[dmoongo]

12:25 PM on 02/15/2012

Leave the dogs alone and start licensing children. Dangerous creatures.

[peeowedaboutit2]

12:21 PM on 02/15/2012

Was it the maple kind???
aaaauuuugghhhh!

[Anne Talbert Gower]

12:47 PM on 02/15/2012

Love that video!! So cute!

[livhosaere]

12:12 PM on 02/15/2012

disabled person's service dogs should be exempt from the registration fees.

[orfan]

01:15 PM on 02/15/2012

It's different from a simple pet registration. A service dog license allows the dog to continue to accompany the person into areas where a pet would not be allowed, and generally demonstrates the dog has gone through service dog training or some kind of evaluation and won't create a problem, or is a medical necessity.

[peeowedaboutit2]

12:09 PM on 02/15/2012

I tried to get my dog a license, but he failed the eye test. Now we both have to take the bus!
Stinking Government!

[royalmax1]

12:14 PM on 02/15/2012

Ha Ha,Good one!

[SteveDenver]

12:37 AM on 02/16/2012

Maybe you could get your dog a service human.

[cpminline]

12:07 PM on 02/15/2012

But the banksters go free! Give me an adress I'll pay for his licence--sheeeese.

[peeowedaboutit2]

12:15 PM on 02/15/2012

Here you go; (it's 15 bucks)

Animal Control / Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
700 Jefferson County Pkwy. #160
Golden, Colorado 80401

Here's the online application form;
http://jeffco.us/jeffco/sheriff_uploads/dog_license_form_2010.pdf

[shifterkartdrvr]

12:28 PM on 02/15/2012

Ha ha...good job. We both know that cpminline will not pay.

[aznative2]

12:04 PM on 02/15/2012

You need to read the article not the headline! This guy ignored the ticket. He should be arrested. If this is truly a service dog that all would have been taken care of.

[Tint45]

11:55 AM on 02/15/2012

There are certain Federal and state guidlines regarding service animals. If this dog IS an actual service dog, it should be REGISTERED AND CERTIFIED. I notice that was not mentioned in the news clip or article. If, in fact, the dog is R&C, then it is EXEMPT from any licensing fees according to Colorado law 24-34-803. Service dog: Military, Police, Search & Rescue, Disability assistant.

[mhulgin]

12:42 PM on 02/15/2012

I certainly hope they use this Information in Court. Then get 1 on them with a Suit. I'm not crazy about suing, and I'm not to crazy about the way they handled this case at all !!

[jacmed]

02:57 PM on 02/15/2012

Thank you for clarifying things, Tint45. I hope you don't mind, but I copied your post in reply to another poster whom, I'm sure, didn't read it for him(her)self. Same thing where I live - licensing fees are not required for R&C service dogs. Furthermore, the vet who takes care of my pets gives free yearly vaccinations to service dogs (I don't know about other vets, but IMHO they probably do - I hope I'm correct!). Also, Bayer Animal Health, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Nestle Purina, Nutramax Laboratories, and Procter & Gamble are all sponsors of IAADP (International Association of Assistance Dog Partners), a group that provides funds to help with unexpected veterinary bills for service dogs. Back on topic, though - This guy was not arrested for not having a license for the dog; he was arrested for ignoring the fine and failing to show up in court, thinking he was above the law.

[SLaureda]

11:35 AM on 02/15/2012

The reason for dog licensing is to enforce rabies vaccination and provide a way to trace an animal if a person is bitten. This is important because Colorado is seeing a huge increase in rabies. I think the dog is a self-proclaimed service dog, not a real one. Those dogs go through an extensive training course and they are very expensive. Where is his paperwork to prove it? Also they are identified by a harness or collar so they can go places other dogs can't. Even more reason to have an up-to-date vaccination and license. Way to go Jefferson County!!!!

[Dennis Pilkington]

12:01 PM on 02/15/2012

How does A dog self proclaim anything?Tail wagging?Does it bark morse code?I think I should sit down with my dog (Buddy Ruff) and see what he claims,Oh,by the way,he is a liar.

[peeowedaboutit2]

12:06 PM on 02/15/2012

I know. I heard Just last week someone asked him if he had dug up the bushes and he said YOU did it!
Doh! =D

[SLaureda]

12:18 PM on 02/15/2012

A dog does not self-proclaim anything. A dog's owner does that, including things like "he's part wolf", or "he's a service dog", or "he's worth a lot of money" or "he's a special breed of (insert breed) from (insert country of origin)", or "he's under voice command".

[wolvespj]

12:05 PM on 02/15/2012

You made a good point. dog licesing is actually unconstitutional. Licensing is required to prove rabie shots. Rabies are passed by any warm blooded mammal. Cats are not required to have a license. Therefore - discriminating. At least that is how a judge ruled here.

[SLaureda]

06:50 PM on 02/15/2012

Many places would love to license cats and owners who really value their animals would welcome it. The problem is thousands upon thousands of feral cats with no owners. The only way to make cat licensing mean anything would be to destroy any cat that doesn't have an ID such as collar, microchip,tattoo, etc. See how well that goes over with animal lovers!! Cats can live and reproduce quite well in the wild. Maybe we should license deer as well.

[a2948]

11:23 AM on 02/15/2012

Cats, cats everywhere, and not a license one!

[ikeeplearning]

11:26 AM on 02/15/2012

Here we go again.

[jlplummer1]

01:06 PM on 02/15/2012

and why do you think they aren't licensed? because cats are considered eleminators. they eleminate rats, mice, etc that carry diseases.so they don't license them for 'the publik safety' dogs on the other hand don't go after mice or rats by instinct as cats do. now I'm talking about domestic cats, not lions, tigers or pumas, they have a tendency to take out humans.... just the other day I saw a lion taking a human for dinner... ( lol ) pumas take joggers and bike riders in california too.

[a2948]

02:45 PM on 02/15/2012

Your education for the day, "eliminate", "public". I won't charge, because you were funny.