DENVER — After months on the run around the old Park Hill Golf Course, a stray German Shepherd lovingly called Park Hill Dave has been caught and adopted.
Park Hill Dave, or PHD for short, has spent months eluding staff, Denver Parks & Recreation said. With a humane trap and a juicy steak, staff were finally able to lure him in on April 23 and brought him to the Denver Animal Shelter.
Shelter staff found that he had a microchip that traced him back to Dancing Dog Rescue in Commerce City. The rescue said PHD had been adopted out to a home in Aurora about a year prior, but he had escaped on his first day in the home. Dancing Dog Rescue said they had been searching for him ever since. The parks department also confirmed that PHD had spent time in Colorado’s Prison Trained K9 Program, where incarcerated people can learn how to train dogs.
“Park Hill Dave survived a very difficult situation, months outside in the cold, without proper food, water, veterinary care, and the company of others," said Melanie Sobel, director of the Denver Animal Shelter. "Dogs are very social creatures, so this time certainly would have been a challenge."
The good news? This sweet pup already has a new home.
PHD has been adopted by Denver Parks & Recreation Executive Director Jolon Clark.
“We considered having him patrol golf courses after hours, but given that he’s a great escape artist, we thought it best to keep him on a leash," Clark said, jokingly. "I’m so happy that PHD will join our family and now experience all of Denver’s beautiful park system from the comfort of a 6-foot leash.”
Wednesday is Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, and shelters across Colorado have tons of animals in need of a new home.
The Denver Animal Shelter saw nearly 10,000 animals in 2024, which is a 44% increase from 2019, the shelter reported. Most dogs at the shelter can be adopted for a fee of $100 to $170, depending on their age, but throughout May, the adoption fees for all dogs a year or older is just $52.80. The shelter is also reminding pet owners to microchip their animal.
If you see a dog who seems to be a stray like PHD, call Denver Animal Protection dispatch at 720-913-2080.
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