Record Number of Owner-Surrendered Dogs in Denver Animal Shelter

Posted on by Elizabeth Coalson
Denver Dog Owners Are Sending Their Pets to the Pound in Record Numbers In just the first 138 days of this year, 634 dogs were taken to Denver Animal Shelter by the very people they trusted most - their owners - and left behind. That’s a 237% increase compared to the same period in 2019 (pre-COVID). That’s nearly 5 dogs a day. The reasons are complex- ranging from housing instability and financial hardship to lifestyle changes and behavior issues in dogs that weren’t properly socialized during the pandemic. But the outcome is the same: dogs losing their homes. Dogs don’t...Read More

Are Strays Pseudo-Surrenders?

Posted on by Elizabeth Coalson
Nationally, only 20–30% of stray dogs entering shelters are ever reunited with their owners. In Colorado, that number has historically been higher than the national average, thanks to strong return-to-owner programs, community outreach, and access to free or low-cost microchipping. But even here, the trend is moving in the wrong direction. The return-to-owner rate is steadily declining, leading us to question why so many dogs go unclaimed - and whether they were ever truly “lost” in the first place. In 2019, 74% of stray dogs entering Colorado shelters were reclaimed by their owners. By 2024, that number dropped to less...Read More

Denver’s Oldest Animal Shelter is Turning Away Animals

Posted on by Elizabeth Coalson
We and our partner TABTO were provided with a copy of a communication from the local animal shelter Denver Dumb Friends League (the League) emailed to select Front Range animal shelters on July 2nd, one day after the policy changes described in the communication went into effect. The following is an analysis and discussion of changes to its operating policies the League communicated in that message. We believe the changes the League has made to its admission policies are harmful to homeless pets, to our communities, and to other animal shelters that serve them. These changes shift responsibility for animals...Read More