who we are
& what we do
Our mission
The Dumb Friends League is committed to the welfare of animals:
• We shall provide shelter and care for animals
• We shall provide programs and services that enhance the bond
between animals and people
• We shall be advocates for animals—speaking for those who
cannot speak for themselves
Our services
The Dumb Friends League:
• Provides shelter and care for more than 25,000 lost and
unwanted pets every year
• Adopts homeless pets to new families
• Reunites lost pets with their owners
• Investigates animal cruelty and supports animal-friendly
legislation
• Provides animal behavior assistance through classes, a free
telephone helpline and the Internet
• Offers free pet-friendly housing referrals throughout Colorado
• Educates children and adults about the humane treatment of
animals and the importance of spaying and neutering
• Offers donor subsidized spay/neuter for owned cats and dogs in
underserved areas
Who we Are
The Dumb Friends League is a private, nonprofit organization that
relies primarily on donations.
The Dumb Friends League is a leader in providing humane care
to lost and relinquished pets, rescuing sick, injured and abused
animals, adopting pets to new homes, helping pets stay in homes,
and educating pet owners and the public about the needs of
companion animals.
The Dumb Friends League is the largest animal welfare organization
in the Rocky Mountain region, welcoming more than 25,000
animals a year to our two shelters. No animals are turned away.
At the main shelter in southeast Denver and the Buddy Center
in Castle Rock, cats, dogs, rabbits and other small pets enjoy the
comfort of a nurturing environment in state-of-the-art facilities.
History
Founded in 1910, the Dumb Friends League is named after a
similar organization in London, England. The word “dumb” reflects
common English usage at that time, meaning the animals are
“lacking the power of human speech.”
The League sheltered Denver’s stray cats, dogs and farm animals
in dilapidated sheds, pens and barns until 1920 when it opened a
shelter on South Santa Fe Drive.
The present shelter on Quebec Street opened in 1974. A major
expansion in 2003 nearly doubled the size, bringing it to 83,000
square feet.
In 2002, a new shelter was built to serve the growing population
south of Denver. The shelter is named in memory of Buddy, a
League alumnus and special canine friend of the Douglas County
couple who led the fundraising efforts.
Adoptions
Depending on the season, we may adopt as many as 1,400 pets
to new homes in a month’s time. We do our best to match people
with the right pets for their lifestyles.
The best way to choose a pet is to come to our shelters. Before
your visit, you can check our Web site for pictures of available
pets.
You’ll want to keep the following information in mind:
• Adoption fees vary, depending on the animal you choose.
• Adoption fees include spay/neuter surgeries for cats, dogs,
ferrets and rabbits.
• Cats and dogs get preliminary vaccinations, collars, ID tags,
microchip identification implants and a free post-adoption
wellness exam by a participating member of the Denver Area
Veterinary Medical Society.
• Certain health conditions that occur within 15 days following
the adoption will be treated free of charge by our medical staff.
• Some cats and dogs are available for adoption while they are
recovering from minor illnesses. They are in the TLC Centers at
our Quebec Street shelter. If you choose one of these animals,
we will provide you with any necessary medication and homecare instructions.
Lost and Found
We provide lost pets a safe haven, while working diligently to get
them back home.
Teaching and Learning
In general, pets with microchip implants or wearing ID tags are
held for 10 days while we attempt to locate their owners. Pets
without identification are held for five days.
We bring free presentations to schoolchildren and adults. School
visits feature age-appropriate information on safety around pets,
responsible pet care and the pet overpopulation problem. We
welcome groups for tours of our shelters and host seasonal day
camps where children get hands-on lessons about animals and
their needs.
Animals that are not claimed may be candidates for our adoption
program.
We offer graduate-level recertification courses for teachers that
help them incorporate humane education into their classrooms.
If your own pet is lost, visit us right away. Look through our
kennels and leave a description with us. We will give you a list of
other shelters and offer suggestions to speed your search. Monitor
our Web site daily to see if your pet’s picture appears.
Outreach
If you find a pet, bring it to our shelters during business hours or
place it in our after-hours kennels when we are closed.
Pet Intake
We understand that sometimes it becomes necessary to give up
a pet. We are here to help in those difficult situations. We accept
all pets that must be relinquished and evaluate them for health
and temperament to determine whether they can be offered for
adoption to new homes.
There is a suggested donation for relinquished pets. It helps offset
a small portion of the costs of their care while they are at our
shelters.
None of the animals that we take in are ever made available to
teaching hospitals or for medical or other research.
Animal Behavior and Training
We help people solve the behavior problems that cause them to
give up their pets.
Expert personal advice is available for free through our behavior
help line. Frequently asked behavior questions are answered on
our Web site.
Classes and workshops are offered to help owners better
understand their pets’ behavior. Topics and schedules appear on
our Web site.
Prior to adoption, many of our pets benefit from enrichment
programs, as well as in-shelter training to help them learn
acceptable behaviors.
Investigations
We are here to protect companion animals, as well as horses, that
are silent victims of abuse or neglect.
Our investigators, who are commissioned by the Colorado Bureau
of Animal Protection, resolve most cases by educating owners
about responsible care. They also rescue animals whose lives are in
danger and summon their owners to court to face animal cruelty
charges.
Frequently, the same people who intentionally harm animals
commit violent crimes against people. People can help prevent
future violence in our community by calling us if animal abuse is
suspected.
For area residents who are unable to visit our shelters, we offer
our Pet Care-avan. This 35-foot vehicle brings adoptable pets
and educational materials to businesses and events in the metro
Denver area.
Two mobile clinics travel to underserved communities to provide
highly subsidized spay/neuter surgeries for owned cats and dogs.
Through the clinics, as many as 6,000 pets a year are prevented
from reproducing offspring that would otherwise add to the
overpopulation problem.
Renting with Pets
Through the Pets are Welcome program on our Web site,
pet-friendly rental housing information is available. Included are
listings of apartments and homes in the metro-Denver area, as
well as tips for landlords on effective pet policies.
Volunteers
Our hard-working volunteers make a difference for the homeless
pets in our shelters, as well as pets in the community. In addition
to making life brighter for animals, they develop new skills, make
new friends and become part of the Dumb Friends League family.
Adult volunteers must be at least 16 years old and willing to make
a six-month commitment of at least three hours a week. Youths
from 12 to 15 are eligible for the Junior Volunteer Club.
Volunteers (both youth and adult) who are willing to provide foster
care in their homes are especially needed.
Applications for volunteer service are available on our Web site.
Sit … Stay … Shops
Your purchases at our in-shelter stores help support the animals
in our care. We offer Science Diet® brand foods—the same high
quality foods we feed our shelter animals—plus a variety of pet
supplies, toys and gift items. Gift cards, good for merchandise and
adoption fees, also are available.
Special Events
Our annual Furry Scurry® is the largest celebration of pets and
people in the country. This two-mile walk for animals is held on
the first Saturday in May. Thanks to community support, the Furry
Scurry raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the animals in
our care.
Our Pledges for Pets Telethon every January and the Wag ‘n Trail
dog hike in September are two additional events that help raise
funds for homeless pets. To stay up-to-date on other events
throughout the year, sign up through our Web site for our e-mail
newsletter, League Mews.
© Copyright 2010-2012. Dumb Friends League. All rights reserved 01/12