Growing Our Reach: Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at Spur

In January 2022, the League will expand the reach of our community veterinary care with a second hospital location in Colorado State University’s 114,000 square-foot “Vida” building on the university’s new Spur campus in Denver. This building will feature the university’s Temple Grandin Equine Center and our Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur. This second hospital location will allow the League to significantly increase the number of patrons and pets served each year, by an estimated 73% in our first year, while opening new opportunities for public education and engagement.

An Observational Design

The Vida building is truly one-of-a-kind, featuring public-facing educational spaces and experiential learning opportunities for visitors ranging from curious families and tourists, to K-12 students on field trips, to college students pursuing degrees in the veterinary sciences. The space is designed to let visitors observe our veterinary team at work, with large observation windows and microphones for staff.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 people will visit this building each month.

Inspiring Future Generations of Veterinarians

Veterinary students and externs from Colorado State University will have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with community veterinary medicine in this hospital location. In addition, the League will expand our Humane Education programs, which currently serve more than 14,000 school-age children annually, to include new lessons focused on STEM and veterinary careers for Denver-area students. We aim to engage and inspire a diverse audience with an interactive, front-row seat to the world of animal science. We are proud that this unique facility will play a meaningful role in contributing to building more diversity in the veterinary and animal welfare fields – with the goal that one day, those who care for animals will truly reflect the communities they serve.