Dumb Friends League

Student Jake Scott has been doing his extern rotation with us and let us know the impact this program has had in preparing for his future career as a veterinarian! "My externship at Dumb Friends League allowed me to grow in all aspects of being a doctor. I was able to be a part of a wide diversity of surgical procedures and medicine appointments. The doctors and technicians worked really hard to make this experience amazing and really allowed me to gain confidence in my abilities. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity!" These critical teaching moments are made possible thanks to the financial support of Hill's Pet Nutrition, which gives students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in class by engaging in experiential learning with seasoned veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Hi! I'm Delaney, a 4th year veterinary student at Colorado State University. I've always known I wanted to work with animals, but didn't find my passion for veterinary medicine until 2017 when I went on a spay/neuter externship in Nicaragua. Since then, I have completed my undergrad degree in December 2018 and was accepted to CSU for vet school in 2021. Last year, I started a research project with a veterinarian at CSU Spur/DFL that introduced me to this wonderful hospital. My externships and research here have been extremely rewarding and a great way to reinforce what I have learned in school. Next year, I will be working in a small animal private general practice where I hope to focus on community medicine, soft tissue surgery, and small exotic general medicine. These critical teaching moments are made possible thanks to the financial support of Hill's Pet Nutrition which allows students to apply what they’ve learned in class by engaging in experiential learning with seasoned veterinarians and veterinary technicians at our CSU Spur location.

Throughout the year our extern program works with an average of 50 students! Not only do our veterinarians and veterinary technicians get to help these students gain experience they may not have otherwise, these students are able to get critical hands on experience prior to graduation. These critical teaching moments are made possible thanks to the financial support of Hill's Pet Nutrition which allows students to apply what they’ve learned in class by engaging in experiential learning with seasoned veterinarians and veterinary technicians at our CSU Spur location.

Each month we have a handful of fourth-year student externs come through our doors to receive hands-on experience ranging from physical exams to determining and executing diagnostic plans, to the routine spay/neuter surgeries that are often the final exciting step before a pet is ready for adoption! If you're not familiar with the term however you may wonder, what exactly is an extern? 🤔 Like an internship, an externship is a short-term professional learning experience. Instead of completing individual job tasks, externs fully shadow professionals to learn more about their fields of interest, in our case, shelter veterinarian careers! Each extern group spends 2 weeks shadowing and assisting our vet services teams with exams, surgeries, and client care to help each student gain valuable skills before starting their careers. These critical teaching moments are made possible thanks to the financial support of Hill's Pet Nutrition, which allows students to apply what they’ve learned in class by engaging in experiential learning with seasoned veterinarians and veterinary technicians at our CSU Spur location.

As the Dumb Friends League celebrates this year’s #VolunteerAppreciationWeek, we have the honor of acknowledging the incredible impact our volunteers have on our organization. Over the past year, a total of 209,205 volunteer hours were contributed across all of our facilities, including foster parents. This equates to 101 full-time employees! 🤯 From helping deliver medications, taking dogs on a "sniff-ari" (aka walks), loving on cats, mucking stalls, bottle feeding puppies and kittens, and everything in between, we truly could not do what we do without their help. A week is simply not long enough to express all of the appreciation we have for our beloved volunteers. But we will try. They deserve it ❤️

Seeing Odin today, you would never know that, just four short months ago, this young puppy was barely clinging to life. When the Dumb Friends League Investigations Team and local law enforcement first discovered him in an abandoned home, 10-week-old Odin was starving, freezing, and surrounded by filth. Our team immediately took action, providing Odin and the 10 other dogs on the property with the care they so desperately needed. Today, Odin is safe, healthy, and happily living with his new family! Your support saves lives and Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGard® PLUS, will match funds raised to help provide care for pets like Odin up to $10,000. Double your impact today by clicking the link below to donate! https://www.ddfl.org/odin/

The Dumb Friends League and the ASPCA proposed two 2024 statewide ballot measures that will increase access to veterinary care in Colorado. The ballot measures include Initiative 144, which will expand the use of veterinary telemedicine in Colorado, and Initiative 145 which will allow for the creation of a new veterinary professional associate (VPA) position. This level of veterinary professional could conduct check-ups, diagnose minor conditions, treat patients, and perform procedures. Both measures will expand the veterinary workforce and make care more accessible to people and pets. While we already have overwhelming support, we ask voters to make their voices heard so that we can see these initiatives on the ballot in November! You can learn more about the ballot initiatives at https://bit.ly/3O4KwtB.

Anyone who meets Louis today will tell you that the adorable, timid dog is one in a million. But before he came to the Dumb Friends League, Louis was sadly one of 174 neglected dogs removed from a home that law enforcement deemed uninhabitable for humans and animals alike.   Today, Louis is loved and doted on by his new family, and he’s reaching milestones that once seemed impossible. He’s building trust daily and, with the help of resident pup, Marvin, he’s even “learning to play like a normal dog.”   Be the transformation in the lives of animals like Louis. Consider donating to the Dumb Friends League today. Click here to ready Louis’ remarkable full story, and learn how you can make a difference: https://bit.ly/3R4Nb8x . . . . #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #AnimalWelfare #Adopt #AdoptAShelterPet #AdoptAShelterCat #AdoptAShelterDog #Donate

Transform (verb): to change in condition, nature, or character   When Milk arrived at the Dumb Friends League San Luis Valley Animal Center after being found in a local storage unit, the tiny, 2-month-old kitten was in desperate need of care and nourishment. Suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection (URI), Milk was emaciated, blind, and unable to breathe with ease.   Throughout his time in our care, Milk was met with unconditional love and support in the form of foster care and critical surgery to relieve his pain and infection. Today, Milk (who now goes by Casper) is thriving in his new home and living the life he always deserved.   You can transform the lives of animals like Milk – and their families. Click here to read his full story and find out how: https://lnkd.in/giDYu2jB . . . . #DumbFriendsLeague #CompassionAlways #AnimalWelfare #Adopt #AdoptAShelterPet #AdoptAShelterCat #AdoptAShelterDog #Donate