In Colorado, dog rescue can be big business.

From 2017 to 2019, Colorado’s 15 largest rescue organizations brought in $24.5 million in revenue, with approximately $7.0 million going to salaries and benefits for rescue employees, a number almost twice that of what was spent on veterinary care. These same 15 rescue organizations took in nearly 70,000 dogs in three years, with the five largest rescues making up half of that. Of the 70,000 dogs handled by Colorado’s 15 largest rescues, 70% of them were puppies, which command a higher sales price than adult dogs.

On average, Colorado’s rescue puppies go for $500 apiece and today, the largest rescue in Colorado charges as much as $1,000 for a puppy. At that price, a consumer could purchase a puppy from a pet store, but the “halo effect” drives consumers to rescues instead.

While the vast majority of Colorado rescues are truly helping animals and deserve the halo, there are a few bad actors out there and it’s sadly buyer beware when searching for a rescue dog.

Watch the story from CBS4 here….