By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado
Colorado’s animal shelters have reached a tipping point.
Dogs that once were adopted within days are now waiting weeks or months and some never make it out. While many shelters have “no-kill” policies, those policies don’t apply to dogs that are unhealthy or unsafe.
According to the National Canine Advocacy Group, the six largest shelters along the Front Range took in just over 42,000 dogs last year and euthanized nearly 5,000 of them; a 24% increase over 2022.
Now, the state’s oldest shelter is turning some dogs away. The Dumb Friends League has long billed itself as a “socially conscious shelter,” accepting all unwanted animals – but as dog surrenders soar and adoptions fall, Dumb Friends is suspending its open door policy.