How It All Began...
Animal lovers from the start, Best Pets founders Ted and Dara have a long history of helping homeless animals.
In 2001 Dara started volunteering at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter. Seeing the tremendous need for help there, she "volunteered" Ted and soon they were spending every Sunday walking dogs, cleaning cages and spending time with the various and numerous shelter animals. Visiting week after week they couldn't help but notice that so many of the same animals were still there, confined to their cages, waiting to be adopted.
Dara and Ted knew wonderful new owners were out there, they just weren't coming into the shelter. So they decided to take the shelter to the people!
The Best Pets Mobile Adoption Truck was born. They bought a used Penske moving truck and turned it into a bright and inviting mobile adoption center! Booking space at weekend farmers markets and summer fairs, the animals that had once been overlooked were now getting adopted! By 2010, three mobile adoption trucks had been built, and were donated to local shelters. Click here to view our trucks that are still out and about saving animals!
Best Pets Today…
Best Pets continues to focus on lowering euthanasia rates as well as decreasing pet overpopulation. Currently we offer small grants to organizations that are working to help save shelter animals as well as provide low cost or free spay and neuter services. Though the situation has slowly improved over the last decade, the problem is far from over.
- Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats.
- Approximately 3.2 million shelter animals are adopted each year (1.6 million dogs and 1.6 million cats).
- Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats). The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners.
To apply for a grant, please email us: bestpetscolorado@yahoo.com
