In 2017-2019  73,900 puppies came into Colorado many were sick based on the states records bringing revenues of over  65 million dollars.  The top 15 licensed rescues/shelters with PACFA account for 73% of the puppies that come into Colorado from other States.   Let's work for a better tomorrow in our state for our consumers and our companion animals. Colorado does not have a lemon law to protect our consumers if they adopt or purchase a puppy or dog that is sick or has behavioral issues.

RETAIL RESCUE

Retail Rescue may be defined as the practice of procuring puppies and dogs, usually for little or no cost from shelters, owner surrenders, auctions or brokers for resale. Many with little to no veterinary or medical care.  They generally do not work with our local shelter or collaborate with other rescues as rescue began as a support to our local doggies needing support in our shelters.

 Their prices fluctuate based on puppies breed. They bring outrageously high volumes of puppies and dogs in from out of state providing little veterinary care or proper DIEASE protocol.  Spay and neuter is not provided prior to adoption.  A  follow  up appointment to schedule a spay and or neuter appointment is not scheduled or followed up on.   Many have complaints from veterinarians, local animal control, consumers, the industry, BBB,  PACFA, and in some cases the court system. 

   Transporting high volumes of dogs and puppies into our State has caused many cases of cross contamination and disease where puppies and dogs become ill and many die. This new trend of flying and transporting puppies, dogs , and cats is happening in large volumes nationally. Many transporters do not realize a health certificate means nothing. Many transporters are bringing puppies and dogs from under served areas and do very little research. Colorado is one of the biggest states for dog and cat ownership and importation.  This new process of moving volumes of animals is being called “Retail Rescue.”   This new model is not at all rescue, it is puppy trafficking. The incoming puppies and dogs are constantly moved from one place to the next place rarely having much stability and lot’s of stress.  It is heartbreaking. Rescues that do big volume are now becoming shelters or boarding facilities or both. Sadly way to many rescue dogs go from a shelter to another boarding facility.  Sustainability for these boarding facilities and new pop up shelters will be rough, long term.  Benevolence matters. Giving back matters.  

 Our retail rescue industry is increasing in Colorado.

Retail Rescuer is harming our great community of small Colorado rescues that do amazing community and partnership work. 

 We have (13) licensed pet stores but only 9 of those pet stores sell puppies in Colorado. Two years ago we had 21 Pet Stores.   Retail rescues are replacing the pet store model in Colorado.   Hidden behind the halo of being a non profit and calling themselves rescues you will find people and animals suffering, complaints with PACFA , complaints with the BBB,  animal control , and our court system. The majority of our Rescues and Shelters are doing amazing work.  As with any industry you will always have a few bad apples.

RESCUE

What is Rescue?

Rescue : saving a dog from danger or a distressing situation. An act of freeing from freedom of suffering.  Confinement of hard to place dogs in our Colorado boarding facilities for long periods of times mentally suffering is not rescue or humane. Bringing dogs from one bad situation to another is heartbreaking for everyone involved. In the rescue world there is a standard Rescuer’s Creed that, when rescuing any dog or cat from a bad situation, we are making a commitment to right the wrongs of past abuses this animal has experienced. 

 Big Business

We believe the breeders and breeding industry need to set better standards.  Internet sales of our companion dogs is a national issue we hope to see discussed more. 

“Regrettably, puppy mills(commercial breeders) continue to flourish. Without a doubt, the number one vehicle and the stimulus for the continuing sale of these puppies is the internet. E-commerce has become the principal marketplace for the sale of puppies from large commercial dog breeders. It has allowed breeders to avoid the stigma of marketing dogs through pet stores, which have been so widely criticized. In addition, for many years, internet sales of puppies have been ignored by USDA and currently are only given minimal oversight and thus are allowed to operate.