CURRENT INITIATIVES
The Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) is a regulatory program in Colorado that oversees pet animal facilities, including shelters, rescues, breeders, groomers, and boarding facilities. PACFA plays a crucial role in ensuring that these operations meet essential health, safety, and welfare standards for animals in their care.
A sunset review is a periodic evaluation of a state program or agency to determine whether it should be continued, modified, or terminated. The Colorado PACFA Sunset Review is conducted every several years by the Colorado Office of Policy, Research & Regulatory Reform (COPRRR) to assess PACFA’s effectiveness, efficiency, and necessity. This process informs legislative decisions regarding the program’s reauthorization and potential improvements.
As a key stakeholder in the 2025 PACFA Sunset Review, National Canine is committed to advocating for meaningful changes that enhance standards of care and improve the quality of life for dogs in Colorado. Visit our dedicated page for more information and ongoing updates on the PACFA Sunset Review.
National Canine firmly opposes the proposed “Adopt a Shelter Pet Account Community Cats” bill, introduced in February 2025, as it undermines the original intent of the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund and the Adopt a Shelter Pet license plate program.
The Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund was established in 2001 to support animal care organizations, veterinarians, and local communities in reducing pet overpopulation. In 2011, the “Adopt a Shelter Pet” license plate program was created to further these efforts by providing funding for spay/neuter surgeries and medical care for shelter and rescue pets, helping them find permanent homes, and ensuring compliance with state-mandated sterilization requirements.
The proposed bill threatens to divert these critical resources away from their intended purpose. Specifically, we oppose the following provisions:
- Disproportionate Influence of No-Kill Colorado (NKC) on the Fund’s Governance
The bill mandates adding an NKC representative to the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Authority board. As a political advocacy group, NKC’s presence would compromise the board’s impartiality and decision-making process, allowing a single interest group undue influence over the fund’s allocations. - Misallocation of Funds to Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Programs
The bill proposes allocating 20% of Adopt a Shelter Pet license plate fees to TNR programs, despite their exclusion from the fund’s original mandate. These programs focus on managing feral cat populations rather than increasing pet adoptions or supporting shelter compliance with sterilization laws. Such a significant reallocation of funds—approximately $132,000 based on 2024 figures—would benefit a limited number of TNR programs at the expense of broader, legally mandated spay/neuter initiatives that serve a much larger population of pets in shelters and rescues. - Unnecessary Legislative Mandates on Rural Grant Allocations
While we fully support ensuring that rural communities receive adequate funding, the proposed requirement that 70% of all grants go to organizations in counties with populations under 200,000 is unnecessary. In 2024, the majority of funds were already awarded to rural shelters, with 80% of those in counties with populations under 50,000. Grant allocation should be based on demonstrated need and responsible program management, not arbitrary legislative quotas.
The Adopt a Shelter Pet license plate program was designed to help homeless pets find permanent homes through spay/neuter support and medical care—not to fund unrelated programs or serve the interests of a single advocacy group. For these reasons, we urge lawmakers to reject this bill and uphold the integrity of the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund.
A little-known problem is a huge injustice to dogs across our state and the country. So-called “Court Holds” are animals being safely housed at animal shelters while their owners are involved in criminal or civil legal matters. Until these legal matters are resolved, or the owners surrender the dogs to the animal shelter, court-hold dogs must remain in the care of the animal shelter. INDEFINITELY. The animal shelter has no control over the release of the dogs, the court case must come to completion or the owner must surrender the dog. It’s that simple.