After 30 years Denver residents can now own pit bulls with a permit within city limits. 

Denver voters showed an overwhelming support to pass Measure 2J, which lifts the city’s ban on specific dog breeds including pit bulls, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers or Staffordshire bull terriers. 

Of the nearly 276,000 votes cast for the change in ordinance nearly 65% voted in favor of lifting the ban, according to elections results provided by the City of Denver. 

Although the change in ordinance will not go into effect until Jan. 1, Denver Animal Protection has established a breed-restricted permitting process to assist restricted breed owners a plan for these changes. 

The process includes a breed assessment performed by the Denver Animal Shelter and should take about 30 to 45 minutes, according to a news release. 

The fee for the process is $25 per dog, which is nonrefundable. 

Despite the change in the ordinance, owners must microchip their pet, cannot own more than two dogs of a restricted breed and must comply with any additional requirements set by Denver Animal Protection.

It is still illegal for residents to own one of these restricted breeds without a permit, officials said. 

Pit bulls and other restricted breeds have been banned in Denver since 1989 after a series of attacks occurred over a five-year span. 

In January, Denver City Council member Christopher Herndon proposed the idea of lifting the ban, which was passed in a 7-4 vote in February but later vetoed by Mayor Michael Hancock.

“Banning a breed didn’t make our city safer,” Herndon said Wednesday morning in an email statement to Colorado Politics. “I look forward to working with Denver Animal Protection on implementing the new requirements for allowing pit bulls safely back into our city.”