Colorado Animal Rescue

What Colorado Animal Rescue does

Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E.) is a private nonprofit animal welfare organization founded circa 2000 and headquartered at 2801 County Road 114, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, serving Garfield County and the Roaring Fork Valley (Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt, and surrounding communities). The organization's core operations comprise a single physical shelter housing an average of 50 animals daily, a foster care network, an adoption program covering dogs, cats, kittens, exotic pets, and barn/working cats, and an expanding suite of community services including the C.A.R.E. Community Pet Pantry, a Community Cat TNR Program, a Pet Dog Behavior Support Program, and the newly launched C.A.R.E. Community Vet Services reduced-cost preventative care clinic. C.A.R.E. maintains membership in the Socially Conscious Sheltering coalition and operates specialty adoption pathways including Pets for Patriots (veterans/active-duty military, launched November 2024) and Seniors for Seniors.

The technology platform is assembled from off-the-shelf SaaS: a WordPress website (coloradoanimalrescue.org) with embedded Shelterluv for adoption listings and surveys, Qgiv for event ticketing, InitLive for volunteer scheduling, Google Forms for clinic intake, and CookieYes for consent management. C.A.R.E. also publishes proprietary internal assets such as a multi-module Kitten Foster Care Manual and structured foster health/weight tracking protocols that encode institutional knowledge.

The business model is a hybrid of nonprofit fundraising and fee-for-service revenue streams. Unrestricted and restricted donations (individual giving, planned giving, Colorado Gives Day, memorials) form the financial backbone, augmented by adoption fees ($150 cats/kittens, $200 dogs/puppies, with multi-pet and sponsored-event discounts), corporate sponsorships led by Alpine Bank as Premier Annual Sponsor, signature event revenue (Dressed to the K9s gala, Dog Day 5K, Snowshoe Shuffle 8K, Cowboy Up Carbondale, Pawtery Pawlooza, Trivia Night), designated funds (Thumper Fund for extraordinary veterinary care, Dove Fund for spay/neuter, Maria's Cat Fund), and a growing base of reduced-cost veterinary service fees. Customer segments span local pet adopters, donors and event participants, corporate sponsors, veterans, seniors, foster caregivers, volunteers, and Garfield County pet owners needing accessible care services.

Name

Colorado Animal Rescue

Legal name

Colorado Animal Rescue

Website

https://coloradoanimalrescue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E.) is a 25-year-old nonprofit animal shelter in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, serving Garfield County with pet adoption, foster care, reduced-cost community veterinary services, behavior support, pet food assistance, and signature fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Rescue and Shelter Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Veterinary Services (541940)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB), Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Animal rescue services
• Pet adoption programs
• Nonprofit animal shelter
• Foster care network
• Community veterinary services

Headquarters

HQ city

Glenwood Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Adoption fees: One-time adoption fees: $150 cats/kittens (kittens 2 for $225, adult cats 2 for 1); $200 dogs/puppies. Includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchip, deworming, medical and behavior assessments. Promotional waived or discounted fees during sponsored events such as BISSELL Empty the Shelters ($50 for dogs/cats 1 year+) and Alpine Bank Adopt-a-Thon.
2. Donations: Donations via online portal, planned giving, memorials and dedications (Savannah's Corner), other-ways-to-give, and Colorado Gives Day. Recurring and one-time individual giving.
3. Corporate sponsorships: Premier annual sponsor (Alpine Bank), event sponsors (Holy Cross Energy, White House Pizza, Glenwood Springs Ford, etc.), and annual sponsor menu programs.
4. Signature fundraising events: Annual Dressed to the K9s gala (raised $100K+ for Thumper Fund in 2024); Dog Day 5K race entry fees and team fundraising; Snowshoe Shuffle 8K; Cowboy Up Carbondale tickets/auctions; Trivia Night @ El Dorado (20% of evening's sales donated).
5. Grants and designated funds: Targeted grant funds including Dove Fund (spay/neuter), Thumper Fund (extraordinary medical care), Maria's Cat Fund, and Holiday Snowflakes for Shelter Pets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E.) operates a nonprofit animal shelter that rescues, houses, and rehomes dogs, cats, kittens, and exotic pets through adoption programs, a foster care network, and reduced-cost community veterinary services. The organization also runs a community pet food pantry, pet dog behavior support program, community cat trap-neuter-return program, and stray animal intake services, supported by donations, sponsorships, and signature fundraising events in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado.

Product overview

Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E.) operates a unified nonprofit animal shelter and community services platform in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, rather than a multi-module SaaS product. The core offerings — the Pet Adoption Program (including the specialty Exotic Animal Adoption Program and Adoption Programs such as Pets for Patriots and Seniors for Seniors), Stray Animal Intake, and Animal Surrender and Alternatives — sit at the center, surrounded by community support services including the C.A.R.E. Community Pet Pantry, Community Cat TNR Program, Lost and Found Pets Service, Free Pet ID Tag Program, Medical Assistance Services (the gateway to the C.A.R.E. Community Vet Services reduced-cost veterinary program launched April 2026), and the Pet Dog Behavior Support Program. The Volunteer Program (with formal application and roles like Cat TLC, Dog Walking, Canine Coaching, and Pet Food Pantry) and the Foster Care Program (backed by a complete Kitten Foster Care Manual) supply the operational pipeline for the core adoption services. Fundraising is delivered through a recurring C.A.R.E. Events & Fundraising Program (Dressed to the K9s, Dog Day 5K, Snowshoe Shuffle, Cowboy Up Carbondale, Pawtery Pawlooza, Trivia Night, Mutts & Milkshakes, Alpine Bank Adopt-a-Thon, BISSELL Empty the Shelters), the Thumper Fund for extraordinary veterinary care, and a Donations, Sponsorship & Planned Giving program. The website itself is built on WordPress, embeds Shelterluv for adoptable pets and adoption surveys, and integrates Qgiv for event registration, InitLive for volunteer scheduling, Google Forms for the Community Vaccine Clinic intake, and CookieYes for consent management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thumper Fund: A designated financial resource operated by Colorado Animal Rescue that provides extraordinary veterinary care to shelter pets in need of significant medical treatment.
• C.A.R.E. Community Pet Pantry
• C.A.R.E. Community Pet Pantry

Products and services

• Pet Adoption Program
• Exotic Animal Adoption Program
• Volunteer Program
• Foster Care Program
• Pet Dog Behavior Support Program
• Community Cat TNR Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 50 animals housed daily
• +5 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Slow Groovin BBQminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 August 2026Food vendor at Cowboy Up Carbondale (August 21, 2026) where C.A.R.E. is the 2026 beneficiary.
• Highway 82 (band)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 August 2026Live music performer at Cowboy Up Carbondale (August 21, 2026).
• Sopris LodgeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 May 2026Venue host for Mutts & Milkshakes adoptable dog meet-and-greet (May 22, 2026 at 295 Rio Grande Ln, Carbondale).
• BISSELL Pet FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026National partner running the BISSELL Empty the Shelters event (May 1-17, 2026) where BISSELL sponsored reduced $50 adoption fees for dogs and cats 1 year and older at C.A.R.E.
• Carbondale Family Block PartyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026C.A.R.E. participated in the 2026 Carbondale Family Block Party (May 1, 2026) as one of multiple local non-profits.
• Mountain Tide Provision Co.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 March 2026Co-hosted collaboration event with C.A.R.E. on March 7, 2026.
• El DoradominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 December 2025Co-hosts Trivia Night with C.A.R.E. (December 3, 2025) and donates 20% of the evening's sales to support shelter pets.
• Pets for PatriotscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2024National adoption program partner launched at C.A.R.E. in November 2024 to connect shelter pets with veterans and active-duty military at discounted adoption fees.
• Cat TopiaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 September 2024Cat Topia is the annual sponsor of C.A.R.E.'s Pet Food Pantry, recognized as 'Hunger Heroes' partner that helps feed owned pets in the community.
• Carbondale Clay CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2024Co-host of Pawtery Pawlooza pet-friendly clay event and fundraiser at 135 Main St., Carbondale.
• Marble DistillingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 August 2024Provides BOGO drink tickets to Pawtery Pawlooza registrants through the weekend of the event.
• Holy Cross EnergycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 August 2024Co-presenter of the annual Dog Day 5K race alongside Alpine Bank. Listed as a presenting sponsor on the event page.
• Alpine BankflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2024Alpine Bank is C.A.R.E.'s Premier Annual Sponsor. In 2024 they donated their nonprofit booth at the 127th Annual Strawberry Days Festival to C.A.R.E., and challenge employees to log 24 hours of paid volunteer time ('24 in '24'). They sponsor the annual Alpine Bank Adopt-a-Thon, which in 2024 waived all adoption fees June 21-July 7, and in 2026 is sponsoring all adoption fees June 16-30. They also co-present the Dog Day 5K with Holy Cross Energy.
• Strang RanchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2023Venue host for the USBCHA National Sheepdog Finals (2023) at 393 County Rd. 102, Carbondale; all parking and ticket proceeds supported C.A.R.E.
• Roaring Fork Veterinary SurgerycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal veterinary surgery partner performing specialized procedures funded by the Thumper Fund (e.g., Zazu's ligament surgery, Lumi/Rooney's TPLO procedure).
• LIFT-UP WarehousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts mobile pet food distribution events in partnership with C.A.R.E. at 201 East 1st St. (Carbondale and Parachute locations).
• TACAW (The Arts Campus at Willits)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual venue host for the signature Dressed to the K9s gala at 400 Robinson St., Basalt, CO. Held September 6, 2025 and September 19, 2026.
• White House PizzaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRace sponsor for the annual Dog Day 5K, providing support and on-site presence.
• Glenwood Springs FordminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRace sponsor for the annual Dog Day 5K, providing support and on-site presence.
• Annie's Cafe & BakeryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides snacks at the Dog Day 5K start/finish line; Glenwood Springs local business partner.
• Sweet ColoradoughminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides snacks at the Dog Day 5K start/finish line; Glenwood Springs local business partner.
• Sunlight Mountain ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host for the annual Snowshoe Shuffle 8K race at 10901 County Road 117 (held February 22, 2026).
• BlizzardPressminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWeb design partner for coloradoanimalrescue.org, credited in the site footer.
• 2 Rivers MultimediaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVideo creation partner credited on the C.A.R.E. homepage.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• PetSmart Charities: National funder supporting adoptions and pet welfare programs, including in-store adoption events. Acts as a grant and partnership channel rather than a competing shelter, frequently supporting smaller community shelters.
• BISSELL Pet Foundation: National foundation that runs the Empty the Shelters adoption program that C.A.R.E. participates in. Acts as a funder/partner rather than a direct competitor, providing subsidies that enable reduced-fee adoption events.
• Pets for Patriots: National program C.A.R.E. partnered with in November 2024 to connect shelter pets with veterans and active-duty military. Acts as a programmatic partner and feeder into C.A.R.E.'s adoption pipeline rather than a competing shelter.

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization running adoption, spay/neuter, and community support programs. Acts as a broader industry incumbent with grant and advocacy programs that community shelters like C.A.R.E. may benefit from.
• Denver Dumb Friends League: One of the largest animal welfare organizations in Colorado, providing adoption, veterinary, behavior, and community programs across the Denver metro. Operates a comparable multi-program model at significantly larger scale.
• Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region: Major Colorado regional animal welfare organization serving the Pikes Peak region with adoption, low-cost veterinary care, cruelty investigation, and pet support services. Closest analogue to C.A.R.E.'s diversified program model at larger scale.
• Larimer Humane Society: Northern Colorado animal welfare organization with adoption, low-cost vet clinic, behavior, and community programs. Comparable program portfolio to C.A.R.E.'s, operating in a similar mid-sized regional market.
• Humane Society of Boulder Valley: Established Colorado animal welfare nonprofit offering adoption, low-cost veterinary services, behavior training, and pet support programs. Comparable mission and program breadth at a larger scale within Colorado.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill animal welfare leader that runs adoption partnerships, network support, and grant programs that smaller shelters like C.A.R.E. can plug into. Operates the national network that supports grassroots shelters.

Direct peers

• Aspen Valley Animal Shelter: Closest geographic peer: a community animal shelter serving Pitkin County and the upper Roaring Fork Valley, offering adoption, surrender, and community pet services. Comparable in mission, scale, and mountain-resort community context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=qoaZyY0QTzU
• Facebookfacebook.com/Coloradoanimalrescue
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradoanimalrescue

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Animal Rescue