Dumb Friends League

Throughout the year our extern program works with an average of 50 students! Not only do our veterinarians and veterinary technicians get to help these students gain experience they may not have otherwise, these students are able to get critical hands on experience prior to graduation. These critical teaching moments are made possible thanks to the financial support of Hill's Pet Nutrition which allows students to apply what they’ve learned in class by engaging in experiential learning with seasoned veterinarians and veterinary technicians at our CSU Spur location.

Each month we have a handful of fourth-year student externs come through our doors to receive hands-on experience ranging from physical exams to determining and executing diagnostic plans, to the routine spay/neuter surgeries that are often the final exciting step before a pet is ready for adoption! If you're not familiar with the term however you may wonder, what exactly is an extern? 🤔 Like an internship, an externship is a short-term professional learning experience. Instead of completing individual job tasks, externs fully shadow professionals to learn more about their fields of interest, in our case, shelter veterinarian careers! Each extern group spends 2 weeks shadowing and assisting our vet services teams with exams, surgeries, and client care to help each student gain valuable skills before starting their careers. These critical teaching moments are made possible thanks to the financial support of Hill's Pet Nutrition, which allows students to apply what they’ve learned in class by engaging in experiential learning with seasoned veterinarians and veterinary technicians at our CSU Spur location.

As the Dumb Friends League celebrates this year’s #VolunteerAppreciationWeek, we have the honor of acknowledging the incredible impact our volunteers have on our organization. Over the past year, a total of 209,205 volunteer hours were contributed across all of our facilities, including foster parents. This equates to 101 full-time employees! 🤯 From helping deliver medications, taking dogs on a "sniff-ari" (aka walks), loving on cats, mucking stalls, bottle feeding puppies and kittens, and everything in between, we truly could not do what we do without their help. A week is simply not long enough to express all of the appreciation we have for our beloved volunteers. But we will try. They deserve it ❤️

Seeing Odin today, you would never know that, just four short months ago, this young puppy was barely clinging to life. When the Dumb Friends League Investigations Team and local law enforcement first discovered him in an abandoned home, 10-week-old Odin was starving, freezing, and surrounded by filth. Our team immediately took action, providing Odin and the 10 other dogs on the property with the care they so desperately needed. Today, Odin is safe, healthy, and happily living with his new family! Your support saves lives and Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGard® PLUS, will match funds raised to help provide care for pets like Odin up to $10,000. Double your impact today by clicking the link below to donate! https://www.ddfl.org/odin/

The Dumb Friends League and the ASPCA proposed two 2024 statewide ballot measures that will increase access to veterinary care in Colorado. The ballot measures include Initiative 144, which will expand the use of veterinary telemedicine in Colorado, and Initiative 145 which will allow for the creation of a new veterinary professional associate (VPA) position. This level of veterinary professional could conduct check-ups, diagnose minor conditions, treat patients, and perform procedures. Both measures will expand the veterinary workforce and make care more accessible to people and pets. While we already have overwhelming support, we ask voters to make their voices heard so that we can see these initiatives on the ballot in November! You can learn more about the ballot initiatives at https://bit.ly/3O4KwtB.

Anyone who meets Louis today will tell you that the adorable, timid dog is one in a million. But before he came to the Dumb Friends League, Louis was sadly one of 174 neglected dogs removed from a home that law enforcement deemed uninhabitable for humans and animals alike.   Today, Louis is loved and doted on by his new family, and he’s reaching milestones that once seemed impossible. He’s building trust daily and, with the help of resident pup, Marvin, he’s even “learning to play like a normal dog.”   Be the transformation in the lives of animals like Louis. Consider donating to the Dumb Friends League today. Click here to ready Louis’ remarkable full story, and learn how you can make a difference: https://bit.ly/3R4Nb8x . . . . #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #AnimalWelfare #Adopt #AdoptAShelterPet #AdoptAShelterCat #AdoptAShelterDog #Donate

Transform (verb): to change in condition, nature, or character   When Milk arrived at the Dumb Friends League San Luis Valley Animal Center after being found in a local storage unit, the tiny, 2-month-old kitten was in desperate need of care and nourishment. Suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection (URI), Milk was emaciated, blind, and unable to breathe with ease.   Throughout his time in our care, Milk was met with unconditional love and support in the form of foster care and critical surgery to relieve his pain and infection. Today, Milk (who now goes by Casper) is thriving in his new home and living the life he always deserved.   You can transform the lives of animals like Milk – and their families. Click here to read his full story and find out how: https://lnkd.in/giDYu2jB . . . . #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #AnimalWelfare #Adopt #AdoptAShelterPet #AdoptAShelterCat #AdoptAShelterDog #Donate

The wait is over! Thank you to all who entered the 2024 Dumb Friends League Calendar Contest. Your entry fee helps us continue to care for homeless and injured pets, and thanks to your generosity this year's calendar contest raised $84,676! This year's winners will be featured front-and-center. Are you ready to go "Awwwww"? Here are this year's photogenic winners. Congratulations to Bailey, Skoshi, Rooney, Barley, Sven, Ying and Yang, Grady, Calisto, Buttercup, Blue, Wee, and Jasmine and Lilly! . . . . #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #AnimalWelfare #AnimalShelter #Adopt #AdoptAShelterPet #CalendarContest

The countdown is on! Today is the final day to secure a much-deserved place in the spotlight for your animal friend in the 2024 Dumb Friends League Calendar. Submit your star's photo by 5:00 PM MT and enjoy the pride of seeing your pet's face in lights and knowing that your proceeds support the League's lifesaving work. Enter now! https://bit.ly/3rMjXkw . . . . #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #Adopt #AnimalShelter #AnimalWelfare #AdoptAShelterPet #CalendarContest

There are still tickets available for LuluPawlooza! Dress in your best “Western chic” and join us at the Harmony Equine Center on August 19 for the social event of the year. Drinks, dinner, a silent and live auction, adoptable pets, and music by Super Diamond, the Neil Diamond Tribute. A night doesn’t get much better than that! Reserve your tickets at: https://lnkd.in/gp-4WK5A . . . . #LuluPawlooza #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #AnimalShelter #AnimalWelfare #HarmonyEquineCenter #EquineCenter #donate #fundraiser