Community Corner

Adopt, Don't Shop. Want A New Workout? 5 Animal Shelters To Volunteer At In CO

Any time is the best time to adopt an animal from a shelter or start supporting one. We rounded up a list of some of the best ones.

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ACROSS CO — The famous jazz pianist Nat King Cole once sang in "L-O-V-E," "L is for the way you look at me."

Everyone who's ever rescued an animal from a shelter knows what that looks like.

That look can be staring you in the face every day when you walk in the door. National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day was Saturday, but plenty of animals in shelters still wait for their forever family to choose them.

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Different times of the year spark different challenges for animal shelters, such as rabbits given as Easter gifts that are then neglected and surrendered to animal shelters, where they are the most likely to be euthanized. No matter the season, shelter animals are waiting for you.

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We listed some of the best animal rescues and shelters in Colorado that provide the most compassionate care. Remember: Adopt, don't shop.

Don't fret if you aren't able to adopt a shelter animal. The organizations all need help from volunteers to keep everything running smoothly and to provide amazing services to the animals. Beyond volunteering at the shelter, you can foster animals and allow shelters to continue accepting animals. Fostering also allows animals to socialize and learn skills.

If the organization you want to help is too far away or volunteering is not feasible for you, check an organization's wish list for supplies or make a donation.

The Best Animal Shelters To Adopt From And To Support In Colorado

Foothills Animal Shelter

  • This shelter is dedicated not only to helping pets in need but also ensuring that families in need receive support. In addition, it accepts a very wide variety of animals, with a plethora of different kinds listed online in its small animals section. Through partnerships with other community organizations, it offers pet food, animal supplies, vaccinations and spay/neuter services to families who need them, and it provides short-term housing when requested.
  • Find more information on Foothills Animal Shelter here. Here's more information on adopting, volunteering, fostering or making donations. Check here for how to donate by online shopping at particular sites.
  • Find resources for families in need here.
"We believe that animals are an integral part of the family, and we know that the family and their pets benefit when animals can stay with or be reunited with their owners after a traumatic experience. As part of our work in keeping pets with their families, we have partnered with Human Service Agencies and our Animal Control Partners to bring services to the citizens of Jefferson County. Simply put, it is the right thing to do to make lives better for people and pets."

Innocent Paws Puppy Rescue

  • Innocent Paws is a nonprofit that rescues mothers with her litters and motherless litters from overcrowded shelters and accepts unplanned litters from the community when the family only wants to keep the mother dog (they also pay to spay). It provides foster environments, medical attention and emotional support to prepare the dogs for adoption. In addition, Innocent Paws strongly focuses on supporting the new pet parents to prevent a dog re-entering a shelter, and on educating the community.
  • Find more information on Innocent Paws Puppy Rescue here. Here's more information on dog adoption, a diverse array of volunteering options, the fostering program or making donations.
"Innocent Paws Puppy Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit rescue devoted to helping mother dogs and their pups move out of overcrowded shelters and into loving homes. Our mission is to help decompress high volume overcrowded shelters and reduce euthanasia rates by removing vulnerable mother pups and their litters, and motherless litters from these environments."

Big Bones Canine Rescue

  • This rescue focuses on saving all dogs, regardless of any factors that may impact anyone else's decision to not rescue a dog — such as breed. It does specialize in the large breeds, but small, medium and any other size are welcome here, too. It is completely volunteer-run by a group of over 400 people.
  • It also offers an especially fun (and inexpensive) way to help a dog and the shelter: A Dog Daze Out, in which a volunteer takes a dog that is currently in the BBCR facilities (not placed in a foster) on a car trip to get a bath, to the coffee shop for a "puppaccino" and a walk with lots of selfies for social media promotion — might just find a new home that way.
  • Find more information on Big Bones Canine Rescue here. Get more information on adopting, volunteering, fostering or donating.
“We are an all breed, 501(c)3 non-profit, dog rescue located in Windsor, CO dedicated to helping dogs in need! While our hearts lie with the giant breeds, our mission is to save dogs from death, illness, and misfortune regardless of their size, age, breed, or health status.[...]We successfully rescued nearly 2,000 dogs in 2020 with over 90% of them being from high kill areas. Unlike some rescues, we prefer to focus our efforts on adult and senior dogs in need, but puppies have our hearts, too.”

Life is Better Rescue

  • This rescue is on a mission to make life better for everyone involved in the rescue process through education for the animals and for the new pet parents, with continued support after adoption. Life is Better works to save animals that are at risk for euthanasia and, as such, it will "accept what [they] are legally able" in terms of species and rescue a "variety of animals of all different ages." Because the goal is to make life better for everyone — not just to rescue, spay/neuter and have the animal adopted — this rescue has educational materials online.
  • Life is Better has a variety of partnerships that support the rescue through online shopping listed on its home page and around the site. A few include: Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. with code LifeIsBetter, BarkBox with code LifBBX1 and selecting them on AmazonSmile.
  • Find more information on Life is Better Rescue here. Get more information on adopting, volunteering, fostering or donating.
"We take pride in how much we are able to provide to our animals and the families who adopt them. We want everyone in our adoption process to have a better life at the end – and we put forth all of our effort to make sure it happens. When you adopt from Life is Better Rescue – you are getting the complete rescue package – not just a dog or cat that is sterilized."

National Mill Dog Rescue

  • National Mill Dog Rescue fights against puppy mills and saves puppy mill survivors, giving them proper medical care and attention that they have not been shown. Its motto is to "rescue, rehabilitate and re-home" the dogs that have been discarded by commercial breeding and to educate the public about the horrors of this industry. The rescue relies on a team of more than 400 volunteers, most of whom are local.
  • National Dog Mill Rescue participates in multiple shop and give programs that support the rescue — through, for example, shopping online or linking shopper cards. Some opportunities to support the rescue, such as an app that monitors dog walking, do not require purchases at all. Take a look for an option that may work for you.
  • Find more information on National Mill Dog Rescue here. Get more information on adoption, volunteering, fostering or donating. Also, keep an eye out for upcoming events — next is the 2022 Dog Jog.
"NMDR has rescued more than 16,000 puppy mill survivors. Every single dog that comes through our doors is spayed or neutered and given whatever additional medical care needed—without exception. They are groomed, many of them for the very first time. Years of filth and matted fur are removed, allowing the beautiful dog underneath to shine. Soon they learn about all the simple pleasures that they had never previously known—clean water, toys and treats, soft beds, and, most importantly, the love of a human companion."

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