Ark-Valley Humane Society

With its main shelter located in Buena Vista, Colorado, Ark-Valley Humane Society continued to operate as an open admission animal shelter for Chaffee County. In 2021, a team of nine staff members, nine board members, and 44 volunteers helped 1,273 animals through sheltering, spay/neuter, microchipping, safety net, and adoption programs. In doing so, the average length of stay for animals at the shelter was only 16.9 days and its Asilomar Live Release Rate was 97.82%. Of the 488 animals sheltered, 90% of cats and 70% of dogs originated in Chaffee County. Others received were relinquished by owners living in surrounding counties or transferred in from shelters in need. Community spay and neuter programs provided reduced or no-cost spay/neuter for 165 owned cats and dogs living in Chaffee County. In addition, 17 reduced or no-cost microchips were offered to owned pets. The community pet food and supply pantry served 593 pets and nine pets received free emergency boarding services. Additionally, all 319 dogs and cats adopted from the shelter were spayed or neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and microchipped before leaving our doors. New partnerships with 11 shelters in Colorado and New Mexico resulted in 78 additional animals saved: 13 cats and 61 dogs. A new partnership with local dog trainers offered behavior intervention training vouchers for at-risk dogs and a new partnership with Chaffee County Community Foundation established a community pet medical emergency fund.