News to Know
Lady Bella finds love(s) at Furry Scurry
May 15, 2012
An estimated 5,000 dogs attended our 19th annual Furry Scurry on May 5—most to walk in support of homeless pets at our shelters, but some to try and find a forever home. Lady Bella, a 4-year-old cocker spaniel, was hoping for a second chance at happiness when she found Love. Two Loves, in fact: Tom and Jane Love were ready for a new dog after Katy, their beloved cocker spaniel, passed away more than a year ago. 
When the Loves found out there would be adoptable dogs at Washington Park for the event, they decided the time might be right to meet a potential new pet. Says Jane, “We went to the Pet Care-avan and they didn’t have any cocker spaniels. But they told us they had brought one and that a couple was walking her around the park, so Tom waited at the finish line so he could meet that dog.”
“That dog” turned out to be Lady Bella—and the couple walking her was none other than Colorado Rockies General Manager Jim Tracy and his wife, Debra, who volunteers at our shelter. “Debra had gotten attached to Lady Bella already, but when she met us and saw how Lady Bella interacted with me, she very kindly said she was willing to let us adopt her,” says Jane.
After just four days in her new home, Lady Bella has adjusted nicely and is “stuck on Tom,” laughs Jane. “She loves to cuddle, which is fine with us, and she does a wonderful job walking and has already learned to sit. We feel real blessed to have her.”
Lady Bella can look forward to a lifetime of love, thanks to Tom, Jane and the Furry Scurry. Perfect matches like this are made possible because of generous donations—you can still help; fundraising continues through June 4.
Human-animal bond brings compassionate community together at Furry Scurry
May 5, 2012
The Homes with Hearts foster care program, humane education, animal welfare investigations and equine servic
es are just some of the programs that will benefit from the funds raised at the 19th annual Dumb Friends League Furry Scurry. Thousands of two- and four-legged friends took part today in the largest dog walk in the nation at Denver’s Washington Park, raising nearly $1 million for homeless pets. Fundraising for the Furry Scurry continues through June 4. Help us reach our goal.
The Furry Scurry drew a crowd of approximately 12,000 people and 5,000 dogs, along with sponsors and vendors. In addition to the walk, pet lovers had the opportunity to meet adoptable pets, watch dog contests and demos, and shop for pet-friendly goods and services at the Flea-less Market.
“The Furry Scurry is not only a celebration of the human-animal bond; it increases awareness about homeless pets by raising the funds to help these pets,” said Bob Rohde, president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “A big thanks to the community for all of its support in helping us continue our mission.”
The funds raised will help provide care for more than 24,000 cats, dogs and other small pets this year. In addition to adopting out homeless pets, the League offers other services for pets and people, including lost and found, in-shelter and public behavior training and donor-subsidized spay/neuter surgeries for pets in underserved areas.
“We would like to thank all of the participants, donors, sponsors, vendors and volunteers who helped make the 2012 Furry Scurry such a success,” said Rohde. “Through their generosity, we will be able to give homeless pets a second chance at health and happiness.”
The 2012 Furry Scurry was presented by Hill’s Science Diet®, Banfield Pet Hospital, HomeAgain, King Soopers, Heartgard Plus, Frontline and Amica Insurance.
Pet lovers can still help needy pets and earn incentive items by making an online donation through June 4 for the Furry Scurry. For more information, visit www.furryscurry.org or call (303) 751-5772.
View our event photo gallery.
Gov. Hickenlooper signs bill improving lives of abused animals
April 12, 2012
With the power of his pen, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law a bill that makes Colorado much safer for abused and neglected animals.
House Bill 1125—supported by the Dumb Friends League and the Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies—is a historic milestone for Colorado’s abused animals. It will minimize stress on seized animals by getting them into adoptive homes faster and streamline the impound process while reducing expenses for cities, counties and humane societies.
“This bill will have a huge and positive impact on the welfare of animals in Colorado, meaning they will no longer wait for lengthy periods of time in legal limbo at the expense of animal care and control agencies,” said Bob Rohde, president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “HB-1125 is a win-win for everyone.”
The bill was sponsored by two dedicated legislators—Rep. Robert Ramirez (R-Westminster) and Sen. Pat Steadman (D-Denver)—who recognized its importance. On March 20, the Colorado Senate passed HB-1125 by a unanimous and bipartisan vote of 34-0. The House of Representatives concurred with the bill and sent HB-1125 to Gov. Hickenlooper's desk for his signature with a vote of 60-3.
“This bill is unique because of the amount of bipartisan support in both chambers and from both sides of the aisle,” said Emily Stone, public affairs manager at the Dumb Friends League. “It proves that when it comes to animals, the people of Colorado care about protecting them.”
The bill will become law Sept. 1, 2012. For more information and to read the bill in its entirety, visit www.ddfl.org/advocate.
Equine Center is by appointment only
April 11, 2012
Good news: We are seeing a high level of interest in our new Harmony Equine Center. Compassionate animal lovers are letting us know they appreciate our efforts to help Colorado’s formerly abused and neglected horses.
Not-so-good news: Some people are paying us surprise visits.
The Center is not open to the public. It is open only by appointment for individuals who are interested in adopting. The process starts with the completion of an adoption application. Potential adopters may call the Center for additional information. The number is (720) 626-2203.
While some of the horses at the Center are available now, others are in various stages of recovery. Some have not been around people for a long time. Others are young, nervous and untrained. 
All of these formerly suffering animals get daily doses of TLC from our professional staff and from a small group of equine-experienced volunteers who have passed a rigorous screening process. (No additional volunteers are needed at this time.)
On Saturday, June 16, we’ll throw open the gates and welcome everyone to our first Open House. After that, we expect to hold Adoption Days at the Center every Saturday. Details on these events will be forthcoming soon.
For more information on the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center, to make an appointment or to see adoptable horses, visit www.ddfl.org/equine.
Dumb Friends League Buddy Center celebrates a decade in Castle Rock
April 2, 2012
Ten years ago this month, the Dumb Friends League answered a growing need in Douglas County, opening the doors to its second location—the Buddy Center.
Since its completion in 2002, the Buddy Center has placed 35,860 homeless pets into loving homes or partner facilities. This year alone, 2,821 pets have been adopted and 63 percent of lost animals have been reunited with their owners.
“When we opened the Buddy Center, no one believed we would see the amount of animals we are seeing today,” said Bob Rohde, president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “Now, more than 5,000 cats, dogs and small mammals come through that location every year.”
The Buddy Center serves many purposes—from adoptions and outreach to helping reconnect families with missing pets—all while fostering a successful relationship with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department and Castle Rock Animal Control.
Because of the expanding population and accompanying increase in the number of pets in Douglas County, the Dumb Friends League completed an expansion of the Buddy Center’s dog lost-and-found area last year with the help of a special donor, allowing the League to care for more homeless pets on their way to forever homes.
“It’s great to see people who have adopted pets from us come back to show just how much they’ve bonded,” said Lea Ann McCaslin, associate director of the Buddy Center. “The Buddy Center has truly been an asset to this community, and we look forward to serving Castle Rock and Douglas County for years to come.”
For more information about the Dumb Friends League Buddy Center, or to view adoptable pets, visit www.ddfl.org/buddy-center or call (303) 751-5772.
Dumb Friends League announces $50 off adoption fees for a sidekick—any cat and dog 1 year and older
March 19, 2012
Pow! Whamm! Kapow! Protecting the planet from flying tennis balls and saving people from the grip of loneliness are just two of the many incredible powers found in the “super pets” available for adoption at the Dumb Friends League.
Just like Batman’s Robin and the X-Men’s Jean Grey, shelter cats and dogs are loyal sidekicks, willing to do anything to win the hearts of potential adopters. Instead of fighting crime, these super pets—the Kissing Bandit, the Super Snuggler and the Fearless Fetcher, among others—fight boredom with fun and laughter, inactivity with energy and exercise, and loneliness with love and affection.
To help find super pets their forever homes, the Dumb Friends League is taking $50 off adoption fees for cats and dogs 1 year and older at both shelter locations—the Quebec Street shelter in Denver and the Buddy Center in Castle Rock—as well as the adoption center in Northfield-Stapleton and on its mobile adoption unit, the Pet Care-avan, through June 30.
“There are more than 275 super pets available for adoption at the Dumb Friends League on any given day, with cats and dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds and temperament,” said Bob Rohde, president and CEO. “So why not come down and adopt your personal sidekick today? You’ll be getting a great deal, giving a cat or dog a new forever home and bringing more fun, love and companionship into your life.”
All feline and canine adoption fees include a spay/neuter surgery, initial vaccinations, a microchip ID implant, a free office visit with a participating veterinarian and a bag of Hill’s Science Diet® pet food. The League spends approximately $300 on each homeless pet that comes through its doors, including shelter, foster and medical care, and behavior training.
Interested adopters can view all pets in need of homes online as well as visit one of our adoption locations to meet their new sidekick. The two shelter locations are open seven days a week.
View our "super pet" advertising campaign running in on TV, billboards, buses, light rail and in movie theatres and in print publications now through June 30.
Dumb Friends League to open equine center to help Colorado’s abused and neglected horses
March 6, 2012
Some of Colorado’s formerly suffering, neglected and abused horses are getting a second chance. The Dumb Friends League announced it will open a new equine center—a unique private rehabilitation and adoption facility set to be fully operational in June 2012.
The Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center is not a sanctuary or a rescue facility. 
The Center will not accept owner-relinquished horses. It is for horses, as well as ponies, donkeys and mules, that have been removed from owners’ care by law enforcement authorities. Located near Franktown, Colo., the Center can house up to 100 horses at a time in well-equipped barns and on 140 acres of pasture.
“Our commitment to animals extends beyond the household pets that share our lives,” said President and CEO Bob Rohde. “This has been true since the League was formed in 1910, but it hasn’t been feasible for us to shoulder this added responsibility until now.”
A knowledgeable, professional staff is on the premises seven days a week, and veterinarians are available on an on-call basis. Some of the horses brought to the Center must be impounded while court cases are pending. These animals are secured and well maintained until the cases are resolved.
“Our primary goal is to alleviate suffering,” said Rohde. “It is our hope and desire that many of these horses will be made whole, rehabilitated and placed with new, responsible owners.”
The Harmony Equine Center will be open to visitors on pre-scheduled adoption days and for special events beginning in June.
As a local, independent, nonprofit organization, the Dumb Friends League relies on donations, not government support or funds from national animal welfare organizations.
“This long-standing dream was made possible by a very generous gift from Leslie and John Malone, longtime, loyal friends of the Dumb Friends League,” Rohde said. “Because the number of unwanted horses continues to rise along with skyrocketing hay prices, the need for an equine center of this caliber has never been greater, and we’ll continue to need help from all of our donors.”
To watch and read local media coverage, click on the links below.
For more information about the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center and how you can help, visit www.ddfl.org/equine or call (303) 751-5772.
Mobile clinics offer $10 spay/neuter surgeries for cats and kittens
Feb. 28, 2012
The Dumb Friends League is offering $10 spay and neuter surgeries for kittens and cats on our mobile clinics. The promotion kicks off on World Spay Day, Feb. 28, and continues through June 30.
World Spay Day is an international campaign that shines a spotlight on spaying and neutering to help save the lives of companion animals. The campaign promotes spay/neuter as a simple, humane and effective way to curb pet overpopulation and reduce the number of homeless pets that are euthanized here in the United States and abroad.
“It is essential that people who have unaltered cats get them spayed or neutered as soon as possible,” said Theresa Geary, vice president of operations with the League. “Cat overpopulation is a problem in many communities, and Denver is no exception.”
Bring a pet to one of the League’s mobile clinics by 7:30 a.m. The pet will be ready for pickup between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. the same day. No appointment is necessary. Each cat is required to arrive in a carrier or secured container. O
wners will receive home care instructions.
“Having a cat spayed or neutered before 5 months of age can help it live a happier, healthier and longer life,” said Geary.
The Dumb Friends League mobile clinics provide donor-subsidized spay and neuter surgeries to pets in underserved communities within the Denver metro area. Each surgery is performed by a veterinarian licensed in the state of Colorado.
To learn more about the Dumb Friends League mobile clinics or to view the clinic schedules, please visit www.ddfl.org/spayneuter, or call (720) 241-7098, with any questions.
Dumb Friends League Helps Return Cat to Owners in Florida
Jan. 23, 2012
Thanks to determination, hard work and a bit of luck, a 4-year-old Maine coon cat named Sassy will be reunited with his owners in Florida later this week. While the story will have a happy ending in Florida, it started with a different tone on the opposite coast.
Bart Stoltenberg and his family were stationed in California a year-and-a-half ago. When he was assigned to go overseas, he left Sassy, the family cat, with a friend. The friend called a few months into his assignment, letting him know the cat had gotten away. Somehow, Sassy ended up in the Castle Rock area, hanging around a local apartment complex for the past few months.
Sassy was brought into the Dumb Friends League Buddy Center without tags. As with every animal, the League scanned Sassy for a microchip. It was this microchip that provided a positive match. The League made contact with the owners, who are now stationed in Florida, and, to their surprise, were told their cat had been found.
“We couldn’t believe it,” said Tami Stoltenberg, the cat’s owner. “When we heard he was found, we were in disbelief.”
The cat is chipped with a microchip from HomeAgain, a leader in the pet microchipping industry. To help get Sassy back to his owners, HomeAgain offered to pay $500 and coordinate the cat’s return.
Nationally, less than 2 percent of cats are reunited with their owners. HomeAgain reunites an average of 10,000 pets with owners every month.
The Dumb Friends League is a major proponent of proper collars and ID tags on all pets, especially felines, and microchips every cat and dog adopted from its shelters. The League also encourages cat owners to keep cats inside at all times.
Teaching your cat some new tricks—one click at a time
Jan. 12, 2012
Who says you can’t teach an old (or young) cat new tricks? Commands like sit, roll over and “high five” are just some of the tricks that cats learn in the Dumb Friends League Clicks & Tricks class, which starts the second Wednesday of each month. It’s a common belief that cats cannot be trained. The Dumb Friends League debunks this myth, offering this four-week course that aims to improve the perception of cats as responsive pets and strengthen the bond between them and their owners.
“Cats are intelligent and receptive to training, just like dogs and other animals,” said Ursa Marr, 
associate behavior manager for the Dumb Friends League. “This class is a way to showcase a cat’s ability to learn and perform, while offering an opportunity for cat owners to have fun training and interacting with their feline friends.”
Clicker training involves marking a desired behavior with a “click” sound and rewarding the animal for that behavior. During the Clicks & Tricks orientation, cat owners learn basic clicker-training techniques and how they can be applied to their own cats. For the remaining three classes, feline students are encouraged to attend. With the guidance of knowledgeable staff, owners teach their cats how to sit on command, roll over, give a “high five” and stand up on their hind legs, among other advanced behaviors.
“Clicks & Tricks shows that cats can be trained to perform desired behaviors,” said Marr, who also clicker trains adoptable cats in the shelter. “This class also helps cats become well-adjusted companions, provides their owners with practical tips about typical cat behavior and addresses common problems.”
Clicks & Tricks is offered monthly at the League’s Quebec Street shelter, located at 2080 S. Quebec St. in Denver, and costs $40, which benefits the Dumb Friends League. Classes meet weekly for four weeks, and all classes begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Feline students must be at least 18 weeks old.
For more information about cat behavior training opportunities, and to register for Clicks & Tricks, visit ddfl.org/catclasses or call (303) 751-5772.
Scurry on over to adopt two small mammals for the price of one
Dec. 14, 2011
Are you looking for a pet that’s a little out of the ordinary? How about something with a SMALL footprint and a BIG personality? Starting Dec. 12, you can adopt two small mammals for the price of one. The Dumb Friends League has more than 130 rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, rats and mice to choose from (ferrets excluded). The ongoing special takes place at both shelter locations—the Quebec Street shelter in Denver and the Buddy Center in Castle Rock.
“Now, more than ever, is the time to adopt a small mammal,” said Bob Rohde, president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “Just like our cats and dogs, these small pets have a lot of love to give.”
Adoption fees for small mammals range from $5 to $55. The Dumb Friends League also offers cages and supplies at our Sit…Stay…Shop for purchase, giving your new pet the perfect home to nestle into.
Interested adopters can view all pets in need of homes online at www.ddfl.org/adopt, as well as visit the shelters, which are open seven days a week. For more information on the adoption special or on volunteering as a foster parent for small mammals, call (303) 751-5772.
License plate for purchase that helps homeless pets
Oct. 14, 2011
Show your support for homeless pets in underserved parts of Colorado by purchasing an “Adopt-a-Shelter-Pet” license plate for your car. The special plate is available any time during the year at your local Division of Motor Vehicles or through your county clerk’s office.
When you buy this plate, you help raise awareness of the need for more shelter-pet adoptions and contribute funds to help shelters and rescues in primarily rural areas of Colorado.
The cost to purchase the plate is $80, which includes a $30 donation plus the $50 standard fee that is charged by the state for any special-use license plate. You will receive credit for the time remaining between the purchase date and your annual license-plate renewal date. Of course, you also may also purchase the plate upon annual renewal of your regular plates.
If you’re among the 2,500+ animal lovers who are already sporting this beautiful plate on your car, you can renew it when the time comes for a mere $25 contribution.
The initial $30 donation and the subsequent $25 renewal donation go to the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund. The Fund distributes grants directly to qualified shelters and rescue groups. The money supports spay/neuter programs, microchipping and medical expenses to prepare cats and dogs for adoption.
Area animal welfare groups partner with Crime Stoppers to bring awareness and prosecution to animal cruelty
July 19, 2011
Animals suffering from abuse, neglect or abandonment are benefiting from a new partnership among area animal welfare groups and Crime Stoppers. Together, the groups have launched a state-wide anonymous tip and reward program to make it easier for people anywhere in Colorado to report inhumane activities involving dogs, cats or horses.
Anonymous tips can be reported via phone or text. The messages are received at Crime Stoppers through a secure online system that protects a caller’s identity. Crime Stoppers then routes the message to the appropriate agency for action.
Rewards of up to $2,000 are available if the tip results in a summons or an arrest. Rewards are paid through a third party, thus further assuring anonymity. Funding for the rewards comes from a private donor.
Tips can be reported via phone or text to Crime Stoppers.
PHONE: (720) 913-STOP (7867)
TEXT: 274637 (CRIMES), then title DMCS and enter the message
Partnering with Crime Stoppers in the program are the Dumb Friends League, the Colorado Humane Society, Boulder Police Department, Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, Larimer Humane Society, Lakewood Animal Control, Mesa County Animal Services, Rifle Police Department, Westminster Police Department, Wheat Ridge Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
Animal welfare agents and law enforcement agencies rely largely on tips from the public to investigate activities such as dog fighting or other acts of cruelty or neglect. But many people are reluctant to report what they witness because they fear retaliation. This new program allows people the protection they may require before coming forward.
People in the eight-county metro-Denver area may also report animal cruelty directly to the Dumb Friends League online or by calling (303) 923-0022.
Disaster preparedness for you and your pets
You never know when disaster may strike. Being prepared can help save your life as well as your four-legged family members.
Read these tips on how to develop an emergency plan for you and your pets.