Expanding our reach: The Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur
The Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at Yuma in Denver (formerly called the Dumb Friends League Solutions–Veterinary Hospital) offers reduced, donor subsidized veterinary care for pets whose owners have nowhere else to turn. In our last fiscal year, the Veterinary Hospital team performed more than 6,000 exams, 1,167 surgeries, and 463 dental procedures. There are an estimated 240,000 animals cared for by people living in extremely low-income households in the Denver Metro area–and we estimate that we are only serving 7 percent of the need with this facility.
We are honored to have been offered the unique opportunity to partner with Colorado State University (CSU) to significantly increase the number of patrons and pets served each year through the opening of a second location of the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital on CSU’s new Spur campus in Denver. With the addition of the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur, we anticipate seeing a 73 percent increase in those we reach, caring for more than 9,500 pets a year across both hospitals.
Bringing learning to life
Opening in early 2022, our second hospital location will feature a one-of-a-kind public-facing educational space with experiential learning opportunities for visitors ranging from curious families to tourists, to kindergarten through 12th-grade students on field trips to college students pursuing degrees in the veterinary sciences. The space is designed to let visitors watch our veterinary team at work, with large observation windows and microphones for staff to interact with observers while performing physical examinations, dental procedures and even surgery. It is estimated that more than 1,000,000 people will visit this building each year.
Inspiring future generations of veterinarians
Veterinary students and externs from CSU will gain firsthand experience with community veterinary medicine. The League will also expand our Humane Education programs, which currently serve more than 14,000 school-age children annually, to include new lessons highlighting STEM and veterinary careers. We hope to inspire a diverse audience with an interactive, front-row seat to the animal science world. We are proud that this facility will play a role in contributing to building more diversity in the veterinary and animal welfare fields– with the goal that those who care for animals will reflect the communities they serve.
A community-supported model
While CSU has generously provided the space for this hospital, the League is responsible for equipping the facility and funding its annual operations, estimated at $2.5 million per year. As with our original veterinary hospital location, care received at the Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur will be made possible by generous donations intended to create a safety net, so no pet suffers. For organizations wishing to support this work, there are partnership and naming opportunities available–contact us to learn more!
