Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur is an active hospital providing pre-scheduled appointments of urgent care services for pets of families who otherwise wouldn’t have access to veterinary care. There are opportunities to interact with the medical team and observe surgical procedures Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and on 2nd Saturdays at Spur; however, appointments are subject to the needs of the patients, and demonstrations are not guaranteed every day.

Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur provides education, veterinary care to underserved communities

In January 2022, the Dumb Friends League opened its doors even wider by launching a new Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur. The state-of-the-art, donor-subsidized clinic increases the Dumb Friends League’s impact for people and animals, by serving more than 6,000 additional sick and injured pets in the first year of operation.

The donor-subsidized, public Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur allows people in the Denver community – regardless of income, language, or location – to give their animal companions the care they need.

Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital client hours

Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday: Closed to clients / no appointments
Sunday: Closed

Above are the hours for the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital. CSU Spur is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and the 2nd Saturday of every month. Check the CSU Spur events calendar for information about on-show surgeries and dental exams.

Did you know?

In 2022:

  • The Dumb Friends League Clinic at CSU Spur served almost 5,000 pets through hospital and urgent care services
  • Over 9,000 animals were spayed or neutered
  • Over 5,000 pets were vaccinated through vaccine clinics in the GES neighborhood
Yellow Spur logo

The Dumb Friends League is actively recruiting volunteers to support the spay/neuter clinic at CSU Spur. Volunteers assist with providing directional assistance, checking patients in and out, providing post-surgery care and feedings as well as cleaning and preparing the surgical area and instruments.

The League’s second location and its work at CSU Spur focuses on the vital interconnections between human and animal life.

The community veterinary hospital at CSU Spur will aid in providing those interconnections on multiple levels:

Two people in scrubs operate on a grey dog.

As a Teaching Hospital

The services offered at the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur benefit from the diverse perspectives of student interns and recently graduated externs from CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Student externs participate in two-week rotations at CSU Spur and the Leslie A. Malone Center, where they assist seasoned veterinarians with various procedures and learn about animal welfare from a sheltering standpoint. One-year supervised internships are available in both League locations for recent CSU graduates to gain practical experience with incremental diagnostics, surgery, and client care.

With Community Engagement

Central to the League’s commitment to accessibility is creating an environment at CSU Spur where people can gather to learn and be inspired. The League aims to engage the community in the essential work of veterinarians and expose young people to STEM-related careers so they can begin to envision themselves in these roles. Veterinarians perform “on-view” surgeries, meaning the public can watch live procedures through glass while the League’s veterinarians and certified veterinary technicians discuss the surgery in real-time and CSU docents describe the activity and field questions. 

Young girl in a red and black shirt holds a white chihuahua.

Through Humane Education

A cornerstone of the League’s compassionate mission is to work with children and youth to foster respect for animals, people, and the planet we share. The organization inspires children to appreciate and empathize with each animal’s unique nature, regardless of their background, appearance, or ability; to treat them with kindness and provide for their well-being; and to work with others to prevent and heal their suffering. At CSU Spur, the Humane Education team teaches PreK-12 student groups from the surrounding communities in topics, including staying safe around cats and dogs, caring for pets, careers focused on animal welfare and advocacy, and bullying prevention.

[We are focused on] treating the animals who need us now, while building a broader safety net for those who will need veterinary care long into the future.”