Cyclist died after collision; police, animal control seek to address leash law violations
Gunner, 4 months old, being walked by its owner, Bob Drum, takes interest in another dog on Thursday during a walk on the Animas River Trail. The recent deaths of a cyclist and a beloved family pet, both the result of off-leash dogs, have renewed calls for greater accountability. (Jerry McBride/ Durango Herald)
A Durango man who fell off his bike and later died from his injuries while apparently trying to avoid a loose dog on the Animas River Trail has reignited calls for pet owners to leash their animals in public spaces.
The collision involving the bicyclist and off-leash dog occurred about 2:30 p.m. March 12 on a section of the river trail near the skate park and Schneider Park.
Steven Miller, 76, fell off his bike and hit his head. He died two weeks later from his injuries.
While Durango police have not determined whether the dog or cyclist initiated the collision, officers emphasized that the presence of an off-leash dog was the central issue.
“I just want to be absolutely clear that if anybody tries to make the argument that this is the cyclist’s fault, it was not,” said Durango Police Cmdr. Jacob Dunlop. “This was a dog-at-large issue, and that is what we’re trying to resolve.”
Witnesses said the dog’s owner initially yelled at Miller before realizing how seriously he was injured. The dog’s owner then left the scene, saying he was going to get help, but never returned.
Police have not been able to identify a suspect. The dog was described by witnesses as a medium-sized blond Labrador or pit bull terrier.
Durango police have kept the death and its circumstances under wraps, in part because the investigation remains active and out of respect for Miller’s widow, Laura Miller.
Cliff runs in front of his owner Ian Burns on Thursday along the Animas River Trail. The recent deaths of a cyclist and a beloved family pet, both the result of off-leash dogs, have renewed calls for greater accountability. (Jerry McBride/ Durango Herald)
Laura Miller was unavailable for comment, but Dunlop said she has been reluctant to publicize the story out of fear it would cast her husband in a negative light and that people might think his death was the result of reckless biking.
But Miller’s death has forced the city, police department and animal control to reconsider their approach to leash law enforcement.
“It is a problem. It’s a problem every year. But it seems like it’s getting worse, because it seems like we’re getting more people and more dogs,” said Durango Police Chief Brice Current.
In addition to Miller’s death, multiple incidents of off-leash dogs attacking other dogs have been reported in the past several weeks.
A post on the social media site Nextdoor said a Jack Russel terrier required numerous stitches after being attacked by an off-leash dog last weekend on Animas Village Drive. A week earlier, a dog died after a similar attack on the river trail.
A close friend of the owners of the deceased pet, Melani Woodruff, confirmed the death. She said the owners are devastated by the loss – a tragedy she said was easily preventable.
Woodruff owns two dogs and said she is no stranger to the widespread disregard many Durango pet owners show for leash laws.
She no longer walks her dogs in the parks by the river because she encountered at least one off-leashed dog every time.
“It only takes a few seconds for a dog to be killed,” Woodruff said.
She posted about the attack on Nextdoor and received more than 100 comments from Durango residents expressing similar concerns and questioning the city’s response.
“The situation is that our enforcement is not enforced,” Woodruff said. “Our enforcers don’t enforce. And so that leads to nonchalant, arrogant attitudes.”
City Code says it is unlawful for dogs to be in public parks, playgrounds, trails, recreational facilities or city-owned open spaces without a leash, which must not exceed 6 feet in length.
For years, many Durango residents have been asking their fellow community members to leash their dogs in public spaces to no avail. (Jerry McBride/ Durango Herald)
While DPD officers are able to write citations regarding off-leash dogs, that responsibility primarily falls to Animal Control, Dunlop said. When police officers encounter dogs-at-large, they rarely write tickets and instead opt for a more “educational” approach, often issuing verbal warnings.
Julie Dreyfuss, executive director of La Plata County Humane Society, said Animal Control does its best but don’t have the bandwidth to police the river trail for hours every day.
“We’re balancing a lot of different things,” she said.
Five animal protection officers cover the entirety of La Plata County. Each day, two officers are on duty, covering about 1,700 square miles, she said.
In 2024, officers responded to about 1,000 calls regarding off-leash dogs and issued about 100 citations – accounting for only about 10% of the total calls, she said.
An unleashed dog walks Thursday on the Animas River Trail. (Jerry McBride/ Durango Herald)
“Our animal protection officers need the community to police themselves, because there’s only two of us on duty at any time,” Dreyfuss said.
DPD has been engaging with the community and coordinating with Animal Control to ramp up enforcement heading into the summer.
Dunlop said the police department is also developing a media campaign to raise awareness about leash laws.
“This is a dog town and a bike town, but you still have to control yourself and your animals for everybody else’s safety,” he said.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
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