Grand County Pet Pals Partners with the Community to Make Future Animal Shelter a Reality
In a major win for our community, we recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the future Grand County Animal Shelter -an event years in the making and a true testament to how Grand County comes together in times of need. Faced with the possibility of losing a shelter, Grand County Pet Pals stepped up, asked boldly, and - thanks to their hard work and the incredible generosity of our community - we’re now seeing that vision become a reality.
HISTORY OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER
Since 1993, the Grand County Animal Shelter has provided a safe haven for dogs and cats that are temporarily lost or in need of a new home. The volunteer-run Grand County Pet Pals has long been the supportive arm of the shelter (which is run by Grand County Sheriff's Office), helping with everything from adoptions to fundraising and animal care. For years, the shelter has operated out of a shared facility on sanitation district land - but with the county’s sanitation needs growing, that lease is set to expire in December 2025.
Without a new location, Grand County’s pets would be left without a place to stay while they wait to be adopted or reunited with their families. Thankfully, the community stepped up in a big way! Grand County Pet Pals took the lead on planning and fundraising for a new facility, and thanks to incredible local support, they just broke ground on a future shelter in May 2025.
NEW SHELTER
The new shelter is being built on a centrally-located, one-acre plot of land right next to Kaibab Park in Granby. According to our friends at Grand County Pet Pals, the shelter will be a facility tailored to the needs of the animals with an “enhanced environment for animals in need, including a meet and greet room, lobby, training room and a kitty patio.”
Designed by local architecture firm, MA Studios, and being built by local custom home builders Chillcoots Construction, the shelter is planned to be finished and operational in 2026.
OUR COMMUNITY STEPS UP!
One of the things I love most about living in Grand County is how our community always shows up in big ways to meet a communal need. Once word got out that the animal shelter needed a new home, the county, towns, businesses, and individuals stepped up to help the crew at Grand County Pet Pals dream, plan, and fundraise for a new facility.
From huge wins like the Town of Granby selling Pet Pals a well-priced piece of land in a prime location to individuals hosting Facebook birthday fundraisers, the community support has been so beautiful! Local municipalities and nonprofits like the Grand Foundation have awarded generous grants. MA Studios architects donated a large portion of its design time to the project. Restaurants and breweries - like Sundog Taproom at Winter Park Resort - have hosted give-back days, donating a portion of their proceeds. Others, like Colorado Corn Dog Company in Fraser, are giving customers the chance to round up their bills to support the cause. Hideaway Park Brewery in downtown Winter Park has gone all in for the second quarter, offering round-up donations and hosting monthly meet-and-greets with the Pet Pals crew (dogs welcome!), with an extra dollar per beer donated at those events - don’t miss the final one on June 7! Pet Pals was also named the second beneficiary of the 2025 Grand Foundation Grand Gala. Local artisans have donated proceeds from market sales. Even our teenagers are getting involved: the 3 R's 4-H Club organized a holiday fundraiser with Photos with Santa, and the Middle Park High School Interact Club, a service-minded group of student leaders, hosted a dodgeball tournament for the community, raising $1,500 for the new shelter build. Locally owned and operated Christina Russell Massage is giving back with Massage for the Paws!, donating 5% of all proceeds in May. And the support keeps coming - community members are donating home cleanings, floral arrangements, gift baskets, and more for May 21 silent auction.
Word has even spread beyond Grand County into the Front Range. Denver 7 Gives highlighted our community's need for a new shelter, and their viewers donated $15,000 toward the goal!
GET INVOLVED!
While they've felt all the love from the community and beyond, Pet Pals is still deep in fundraising and has a significant way to go to reach their $2 million goal.
From donating directly to supporting businesses that are giving back to Pet Pals to signing up for the Doggie Dash, there is not shortage of ways to help them reach their goal! You can contribute financially through GoFundMe, Colorado Gives, or on the Pet Pals website. And on May 21, grab a bite to eat at Brickhouse 40 on Main Street in Granby - 10% of all purchases will go to Pet Pals, and they're hosting a silent auction from 4:30 - 8:30pm. Or support other local businesses and the shelter build at the same time: grab a beer at Hideaway Park Brewery and round your bill up through June or book a massage with Christina Russell Massage in May. If you'd like to get your furry friend involved in the fundraising efforts, you can sign up for the annual Doggie Dash, a 2K/5K fun run, slated for August 9 this year.
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