DENVER — In response to an increasing number of animals entering the Denver Animal Shelter, the facility is expanding its adoption hours, starting Saturday, July 5.
The shelter will now open to additional hours on Saturdays and Sundays, allowing prospective pet owners to visit from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m solely for adoptions.
New business hours for Denver Animal Shelter:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. – All Services
Tuesday, Thursday: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Vaccine Clinic Only
12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – All Services
Saturday, Sunday – 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Adoptions Only
11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – All Services
“We have record numbers of animals coming into Denver Animal Shelter,” Director of Denver Animal Protection Melanie Sobel said. “So far, we’ve taken in over 300 animals than we did last year.”
Sobel said the increase in intake is linked to multiple factors, including the rising costs associated with getting animals spayed and neutered, difficulties finding housing that will accept animals, and a nationwide veterinary shortage.
“We are actually turning people away at the end of the day because we can't process them fast enough,” Sobel said. “This is really going to help us solidify and have a special time during weekend hours where people are generally off of work to come early and adopt an animal, then have that animal on the weekend to acclimate to their home.”
To make room in the day for the new adoption-only hours, Denver Animal Shelter moved their vaccine clinic from the weekend to Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The vaccine clinic offers vaccines for dogs and cats at reduced rates:
$35 – Includes vaccinations for rabies, distemper/parvo (for dogs), FRVCP (for cats), and a one-year pet license
$55 – Includes vaccinations for rabies, distemper/parvo (for dogs), FRVCP (for cats), and a two-year pet license
$20 – Microchipping Fee
