Blog

Our mission

Working with our compassionate community, we will end pet homelessness and animal suffering.

When our organization was founded in 1910, it was named after a London, England, animal welfare group called “Our Dumb Friends League.” In those days, the term “dumb” was widely used to refer to animals because they lacked the power of human speech. Today, the Dumb Friends League, headquartered in Denver, is the largest community-based animal welfare organization in the Rocky Mountain region—providing a strong, compassionate and steadfast voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

As part of a compassionate community, we:

• Rescue sick, injured and neglected animals
• Investigate cases of neglect and mistreatment
• Provide shelter, veterinary care, and behavior and training programs to homeless companion animals and horses
• Adopt homeless pets and horses to new homes
• Reduce pet overpopulation through mobile spay and neuter projects in underserved areas
• Offer learning opportunities for the public to keep more pets in homes
• Educate children and adults about animals and their needs

But we don’t do any of this alone

We rely on individuals to bring us animals they can no longer care for, entrusting us with their pets. We rely on neighbors to report abuse and neglect. We rely on the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association in our partnership to encourage lifelong veterinary care for pets. We rely on transfer and placement partners to ensure as many animals as possible find homes. We rely on the Metro Denver Animal Welfare Alliance and the Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies to stand beside us as we tackle animal welfare issues throughout our region. We rely on all members of our community to consider adoption when choosing a pet. And we rely on the generosity of our board, donors, adopters and volunteers as they help support an organization that provides continuity, strength and, above all, compassion for our community.

Over the years, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of homeless pets, find homes for more pets, and support an overall better quality of life for animals in the community. Throughout our history, the benevolent Denver metro community and beyond has helped sustain the organization so we can fulfill our mission. We are eternally grateful for the community’s trust in the Dumb Friends League and its support of the animals we serve.

Read more about our partners.

Who we are

We are a leading adoption organization.

Thanks to our compassionate community, the Dumb Friends League has achieved one of the highest placement rates for homeless pets in the country. In fiscal year 2017 alone, 19,413 pets and 284 equines were adopted, reunited or transferred to placement partners or impounding agencies. Every day, we strive to increase the number of pets saved through our “humane equation.”

We are a pre-emptive care organization.

We have no set time limit for how long a pet can remain in our care. We use veterinary services, behavior programs, foster programs, special-needs adoption programs, transfer programs and placement partners to give as many pets as possible a second chance at a happy life in a new home.

We are a no-suffering organization.

We strive to do the right thing for every animal we receive, always keeping in mind the needs of the animal and the animal’s quality of life. In some cases, relieving an animal’s suffering may lead to euthanasia. At no time do we take the ending of a pet’s life lightly. Our staff devotes itself, just as a loving owner or veterinarian would, to treating each pet as a unique living being that deserves respect, care and love. We do not euthanize healthy animals, nor do we use euthanasia as a form of population control. As long as an animal is not suffering, we will give it the time it takes to find a new, loving home.

We are a preventive organization.

We know that to reduce the number of homeless pets entering our doors, we must focus on preventive measures. In our shelters, we microchip and spay/neuter the pets in our care. In the community, we offer subsidized spay/neuter services to pets in underserved areas throughout metro Denver, teach compassion and understanding of animals through our humane education programs, and work in conjunction with law enforcement to stop neglect and mistreatment of animals and educate pet owners on responsible pet ownership.

We are a collaborative organization.

To better reach and impact our community, the Dumb Friends League is a proud partner of the Metro Denver Animal Welfare Alliance (MDAWA), a coalition of public and private shelters, rescue groups and other animal-service providers committed to saving pets and fostering responsible pet ownership and regular veterinary care. By coming together as an alliance, we are able to place as many shelter and rescue animals as possible into loving homes within the far-reaching areas we serve.

The 2017 Champions for Children Breakfast event was a huge success! Every year, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Jefferson/Gilpin Counties puts on a free breakfast in April to create awareness for the program. With a packed room, CASA raised over $53,000 – that will help support 44 volunteers (the cost to train one volunteer is $1200)! Thank you to everyone who made this event possible including our Sponsors, Table Captains, speakers and guests. For more information about getting involved with the next breakfast event, contact Melissa Hellmuth at 303.271.6535 or MelissaHellmuth@casajeffcogilpin.com. You can also learn about how CASA serves the community at their website http://www.casajeffcogilpin.com/.

Looking for a great way to spend a Sat. morning in Denver? The award winning Cherry Creek Fresh Market presents a high quality mix of Colorado growers and unique local gourmet food vendors representing the best of Colorado. Since 1997, Colorado Fresh Markets’ award winning seasonal outdoor markets feature a fresh mix of beautiful flowers, local produce, gourmet products, and delicious cuisine from Colorado and beyond. Also enjoy chef demonstrations, kitchen and garden artisan products, gardening tips from Master Gardeners, live music and more in a fun and festive open-air shopping environment.

Cherry Creek Shopping Center • 1st Ave. & University Blvd.
SATURDAYS, May 7 – October 29, 8 AM – 1 PM
& WEDNESDAYS, June 15 – September 28, 9 AM – 1 PM

http://coloradofreshmarkets.com
Contact Colorado Fresh Markets
freshmarkets@comcast.net
Location Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 1st Ave. & University Blvd.

Thursday, April 7th 2016 from 7:30am-8:30am at the Denver Marriott West 1717 Denver West Blvd. Golden, CO 80401.
Join us for a FREE breakfast event and learn about CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties’ important work to advocated for neglected and abused children. Also hear from a young woman who personally benefited from CASA Jeffco/Gilpin, and understand how you can get involved as a volunteer and/or donor. Your support can help CASA advocate for more children! Together, we can make a difference in the life of a child in need! Please RSVP by Friday, April 1st to Melissa Hellmuth at 303-271-6539 or melissahellmuth@casajeffcogilpin.com

Don’t Miss the ISHA Awards!

Please join us at the 24th annual ISHA Awards banquet, to be held at the historic Hotel Jerome in Aspen on April 7. The party offers a can’t-miss chance to meet some of the world’s leading ski historians, to support ISHA at its premiere annual gathering, and to learn about the year’s best ski-history books and films.

This year, we’ll honor Greg Lewis and Karin Berg with prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards. Lewis is an Aspen-based broadcaster who started out calling World Pro Skiing races, and went on to cover international ski racing for NBC, CBS, ESPN, HBO and Turner Broadcasting. In a colorful short video, Lewis will recreate the vibrant world of ski racing in the 1970s and 1980s. Berg, longtime curator of the Holmenkollen Museum in Oslo, will briefly discuss her award-winning book on the evolution of the modern ski pole—it’s a surprising tale, and key to the development of modern ski techniques.

Representatives from Whistler/Blackcomb and Winter Park will be on hand to accept awards, with short video retrospectives of these leading North American resorts. You can mingle with ski historians from Europe and North America and purchase copies of their books, which cover topics ranging from Snowshoe Thompson and Mathias Zdarsky to women’s ski jumping, U.S. alpine racing and the legendary Hahnenkamm. You can also be among the first to purchase a pre-publication copy of Warren Miller’s new autobiography.

The evening kicks off at 5 p.m. with a cocktail reception at the Jerome. It’s a cash bar and all Skiing History Week guests are invited. The banquet begins at 7 p.m. and reservations are required. Tickets cost $175 per person (group rate) or $200 per person (individual rate), plus a modest online booking fee, and all but $60 of your ticket price is considered a tax-deductible charitable contribution to ISHA.

To register, go to tinyurl.com/ISHAAwards2016. For a complete list of 2015 ISHA Award winners, go to skiinghistory.org/events. Questions? Call 802.366.1158

A fundraising event for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is being held at Wish Boutique on Feb 11th from 5pm-8pm. 10% of the proceeds from this evening’s sales will go directly to support the abused and neglected children that are served by CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin counties.

Wish Boutique is a one-of-a-kind women’s clothing store, located on Old South Gaylord Street, in the quaint Washington Park neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. They are locally-owned by a Denver native and formerly known as Pine Creek Clothing Co. They offer women’s clothing and accessories from some of the best-known designers and strive to carry distinct items you will not find anywhere in the Denver area. With unsurpassed customer service, including a personal shopping experience, their style experts are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They will help you find complete, coordinated outfits for you, or fantastic gifts for others.

Come sip some wine, nibble on some appetizers, and find that one of a kind outfit you have been looking for, all while helping needy children in the community!

Located between Steele and Harrison, and Exposition and Mississippi, Belcaro is home to “Denver’s Grandest Mansion”, the Phipps Mansion

Arriving in Denver in 1902 after making a fortune in steel, Lawrence Phipps intended to make a mark as a humanitarian. Phipps was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 1918 and served in that capacity until 1930.
After leaving the Senate in 1930, Phipps was ready to build a mansion in which to retire. Fisher and Fisher, along with New York architect Charles Platt, designed Belcaro, which is Italian for “Dear One”. The Georgian Mansion was built during the depression at a cost of $310,000. The mansion was completed in 1933 and boasted 54 rooms and over 27,000 square feet. Here is a description of the interior:

Dining Room

This Georgian style room is more than 250 years old. The paneling is knotty pine, which was sent from Colonial America to England where it was made into this dignified paneled room, then later installed in the mansion. There is a Waterford chandelier, which hangs from the center of the ceiling and compliments the original dining room chairs. The dining room chairs were carved from the beams of a house built in Santo Domingo in 1509. There is also a painting on the north wall by Hudson River Valley artist Albert Bierstadt.[3]

Billiard Room

The oak walls in this room are from England and are almost 400 years old. There are hidden panels in this Jacobean room, which were used for storing billiard balls and cues. The ceiling depicts an illustration of the War of Roses.

Living Room

This 1,000-square-foot (93 m2) room has Austrian oak paneling and a carving of a bald eagle over the fireplace. The chandeliers are Sheffield Sterling, and the carving over the hall door portrays the Phipps’ family crest.

Library

There is a limewood carving over the fireplace, in the spirit of Gringling Gibbons, and was commissioned by the Phipps family. Many first editions and volumes from all over the world line the walls of this library.

Staircase

The grand staircase features a banister created by Burkhardt Steel of Denver. Andrew Carnegie presented the massive Swiss grandfather clock, located at the top of the staircase, to Lawrence Cowle Phipps as a gift.

Foyer

The foyer contains the original organ that was placed in the alcove. The device that ran the organ was located in a room directly underneath the foyer and the pipes ran upward behind the tapestries.

The neighborhood surrounding Belcaro was platted by Phipp’s company, Belcaro Realty and Investment Company in 1931. Development began shortly afterward.

By the time of Phipps’ death in 1958, he had sold much of the land surrounding the mansion as Belcaro Park. A portion of the land was also used to create the Belcaro Park Shopping Center which was developed in 1953.
Today, the Belcaro neighborhood, encircling the Phipps Mansion, is home to many elegant, expansive, mostly ranch-style homes, with large, pristine, well-manicured lawns. Very centrally located near Cherry Creek, between Bonnie Brae and Colorado Boulevard, and next to Polo Club, Belcaro is now one of Denver’s most sought-after neighborhoods. Homes in this neighborhood sell for between $750,000-1.8 million.