The Dumb Friends League cares for nearly 10,000 homeless cats every year—about 18 percent more than dogs. Not only does the League receive large numbers of cats, but adult cats take more than twice as long to adopt out as dogs. The new Cat Pavilion is designed to provide a more enriching environment for cats and a more interactive experience for adopters, who will be able to play with or simply pet the adoptable cats housed in the pavilion. As a result, the League hopes to adopt cats into new homes more quickly, reducing their length of stay at the shelter.
“We do our best to make sure that cats in our care are comfortable and happy, and this facility will provide a more natural and comfortable environment while they’re at our shelter,” said Bob Rohde, president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “But the best place for any pet is a loving home, so the Cat Pavilion is designed to let cats show how playful, charming and friendly they can be so they’ll find homes faster.”
The Cat Pavilion adjoins the Quebec Street Shelter’s current adoption center, located at 2080 S. Quebec St. in Denver, and can house more than 60 cats at a time. The bright, open facility features three spacious colony rooms for cats in addition to a large “play room” with a retractable door that opens to let the cats enjoy fresh air and sunshine from behind the safety of a screen. The cats will also have plenty of windows, elevated platforms, play structures and quiet spots—features ideal for reducing the cats’ stress in the shelter while they wait for a permanent home.
For more information about donor and naming opportunities for the new Cat Pavilion, or to learn more about the Dumb Friends League, visit ddfl.org or call (303) 751-5772.
