It’s All About The Animals
In the United States, pet overpopulation results in the unnecessary killing of millions of loving, adoptable dogs and cats every year. Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter (FAAS) has dedicated its efforts to combating pet overpopulation and the consequences thereof.
FAAS started our Spay/Neuter Program in 2007 for people who could not otherwise afford to spay/neuter their pet. Since then more than 36,000 dogs and cats have been helped through our spay/neuter program. During that same period, the Aspen Animal Shelter and FAAS have rescued more than 7,000 dogs and cats.
Your generous contribution is helping make pet overpopulation a problem of the past!
Dog Day Afternoon Community Carnival
Sunday, July 6th, 2025
After a hiatus of 6 years, we are very excited to once again hold this FREE, fun community event!
Please join us for our famous Dog Day Afternoon Community Carnival
Sunday, July 6 from 11am-3pm
at the Aspen Animal Shelter * 101 Animal Shelter Road * Aspen
We know you all have tons of fun things to do on a summer day in July, but what could be more fun than a family-friendly event, for all family members, two- and four-legged alike? All friendly dogs on leash are welcome!
We'll have free food, drinks, live music, adoptable pets, dunk tank, Bounce House, dog wash, art station, magic and much more!
Parking is available on site. We are also providing free canine-friendly shuttles from the Gondola Plaza and the Brush Creek Park & Ride.
This amazing, free community event is generously sponsored by Aspen Meadows Resort, The Aspen Times, Natural Balance, Alpine Bank and produced by EKS Events.
Join us for a dog-friendly mountain challenge
to benefit the Aspen Animal Shelter
Saturday, October 11, 2025 Buttermilk Mountain
This fun event will start at the base of the mountain near Buttermilk Mountain Lodge (formerly known as Bumps) and finish at the iconic Cliff House. Whether you’re running solo or with your pup, this high-altitude adventure supports a feel-good mission with all proceeds supporting the non-profit Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter. Prizes will be awarded at the top with a panoramic view of the Maroon Bells.
Don’t have a dog to run with? Aspen Animal Shelter will also have adoptable dogs to run and play with, and maybe even take home as your very own.
The Animal House show at the Aspen Chapel closed on Sunday, April 29th. It got rave reviews and was a big success. A percentage of sales from the exhibition will go to FAAS. If you missed seeing the show, don’t miss watching the video below.
Featured artists: Amy Beidleman, Sam Louras, Marty Schlein, Marsha Cook, Kathy Honea, Michael Bonds, Greg Watts, Pam Porter, Leah Potts, Cari Sherman, Laurie McBride, Summers Moore, Bland Nesbit, Julie Adriansen, Dana Laughren, Matt Power, Mark Fuller, Pierre Willie, Jayne Mosher, Fran Reither and Suzanne Jackson.
Arrivals from our partner, NMDR
Shelter staff member Fernando Granados with two Shih Tzu pups
Brian Wampler, Henri Sachson and Theresa Strader with just-washed Lab pup
Three-year-old Shih Tzu, Polly
Adorable mill pups post-bath waiting for their new adventures and future homes
Since 2019, the Aspen Animal Shelter has been proud to partner with National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) and to work with Theresa Strader, Founder and Executive Director, to help further the mission of NMDR by finding loving homes for these well-deserving mill dogs.
Once they are vaccinated, groomed and neutered, these dogs usually get adopted from our shelter almost immediately!
NMDR’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome discarded breeding dogs and puppies while raising awareness and educating the public about the grim realities of the commercial dog breeding business. Under Theresa’s guidance--and with the help of a small staff and hundreds of volunteers—NMDR has rescued over 20,000 dogs from a life of confinement, neglect and often abuse at the hands of these breeding facilities, also known as puppy mills.
NMDR is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Peyton, Colorado. For more information about this amazing organization, go to https://nmdr.org/
Our sincerest thanks go to The Aspen Times
for their continued support.
