To learn about our spay/neuter services, click here.

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem. It costs the lives of millions of animals and costs communities millions of dollars a year.

Nationwide in 2006, the number of pets entering animal shelters was estimated to be 6 to 8 million. Only about 30 percent of dogs and 2 – 5 percent of cats were reclaimed by owners. Only about half of those remaining were adopted to new homes. The number of pets euthanized in shelters across the country was 3 to 4 million.

In Colorado alone, 173,199 companion animals entered shelters in 2006. In the metro-Denver area, 67,119 were received at 15 shelters. Sixty-seven percent of these animals were placed in homes or reunited with owners, but 17,548 were euthanized.

The Dumb Friends League is working with other shelters and animal welfare organizations to reduce the number of unwanted litters of kittens and puppies that are born.

Here are some of the things we are doing:

• We spay/neuter all cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets that we adopt to new homes; about 8,000 surgeries every year. We spay/neuter these animals as early as 8 weeks of age. We started early-age spay/neuter in 1989. Similar practices are in place at other shelters in the metro area.
• We offer spay/neuter surgeries for cats and dogs belonging to people in underserved areas on the Lulu Mobile, which travels to sites throughout Colorado, and the Meow Mobile, which covers metro-Denver and operates in partnership with the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Association.
• We support the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund, which provides spay/neuter surgeries and education programs through a check-off on Colorado tax returns.
• We provide humane education programs in schools, stressing the importance of spaying/neutering family pets.
• Working with community partners, we help create comprehensive solutions to the problem of pet overpopulation through legislation.
• We collaborate with local, state and national organizations, including the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance, which is a group of 20 animal care and welfare organizations working together to save the lives of all healthy or treatable dogs and cats that enter metro-area shelters and to keep them in good homes for life.
• We’re proud of what we have accomplished so far, but more needs to be done. Click here to view our statistics.

Here’s what you can do to help:

• Spay and neuter your own pets.
• Give generously. Your donations to the Dumb Friends League are appreciated and are the basis for everything we accomplish on behalf of the animals. We are a private, nonprofit organization. We spend an average of $300 on every animal adopted, over and above the fee paid by the patron. Click here to make a secure online donation.
• Tell friends and co-workers that the best place to get a pet is at a shelter. Wonderful animals are available, and organizations like ours offer health services, training opportunities and one-on-one advice.
• Support the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund through the check-off on your Colorado income tax form. The fund helps bring spay/neuter programs and education to communities throughout Colorado.
• Never buy an animal from a pet store or sight unseen from an Internet site. These animals may come from large-scale breeding operations. Click here to learn more about puppy mills.
• Support legislation to control commercial breeders.
• Only purchase pet supplies from sources that do not sell animals, including small mammals, birds and reptiles.
• Be informed about local laws and tell others. Denver and Aurora have ordinances requiring that dogs and cats over 6 months be spayed/neutered. Westminster levies a stiff fine on owners of un-neutered dogs and cats found “running at large.”
• Don’t support the greyhound racing industry. Many states have banned the so-called sport.
• Promote the Dumb Friends League through your professional association, service club or your child’s scout troup or 4-H Club. We welcome the chance to present educational programs.

Make a donation for the animals in our care
We are a private nonprofit organization. We spend an average of $300 on every animal adopted, over and above the fee paid by the patron. If you would like to help us, you can click here to make a secure online donation or print out a donation form and mail or fax it to us.

The Dumb Friends League respects the privacy of its donors. We do not sell or exchange any individual donor information. For details on our privacy policy, click here.

Top of Page
Home/ Pet Picks / Animal Advice / Gift Shop / Adopt / Lost & Found / Help Us /Events / Contact Us / Job