Animal Friends Alliance is Unleashing Care, and we can't do it without you.
Our Story:
Animal Friends Alliance has been a trusted lifeline for animals and the people who love them across Northern Colorado for decades. Formed in 2020 through the merger of Animal House Rescue & Grooming and Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic founded in 2006, the Alliance brought together two leaders in animal welfare with a shared commitment to compassion, access, and community impact. Each year, Animal Friends Alliance serves tens of thousands of animals and families through adoption, affordable spay/neuter and preventative care, community cat programs, pet food assistance, and other essential resources that help keep pets healthy and in loving homes. Our work goes beyond rescue; we exist to prevent homelessness, strengthen the human-animal bond, and ensure help is available when it's needed most. Our Mulberry Campus has long been the heart of these community services. But as Northern Colorado continues to grow, so does the demand for accessible, affordable veterinary care, stretching our current capacity beyond its limits. The Compassion Expansion Project: Unleashing Care will allow Animal Friends Alliance to expand veterinary services with a new clinic at 2321 E. Mulberry Street, Unit 2, Fort Collins. This expansion will enable us to care for more animals, support more families, and remove barriers that too often lead to surrender or suffering. This project is an investment in a healthier, more compassionate future for animals, for families, and for our entire community.
The Problem:
For many of us, pets are family. They offer unwavering companionship, unconditional love, and immeasurable emotional support. They are sources of comfort in times of hardship and bring joy to our lives. However, for families facing financial hardship, accessing even basic veterinary care can be a heartbreaking choice between putting food on the table and caring for a sick or injured pet. This gap in care leads to preventable suffering, untreated illnesses, and, in many cases, financial euthanasia-the devastating choice to put a pet to sleep because treatment is unaffordable.
The Statistics:
Lack of access to veterinary care is a widespread and well-documented issue: A 2018 study by the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition (AVCC) found that nearly one in three (28%) of pet owners had experienced barriers to veterinary care in the previous two years, with cost being the most significant factor. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), nearly 50 million pets in the U.S. live in homes that cannot afford veterinary care. The veterinary profession is also facing a critical workforce shortage. The Veterinary Industry Tracker reports that the U.S. is short over 15,000 veterinarians needed to meet demand, disproportionately affecting low-income communities where clinics are already scarce. The impact of these challenges extends beyond individual households. When pets do not receive necessary medical care, preventable diseases spread, untreated conditions worsen, and animal shelters become overwhelmed as families surrender pets they can no longer care for. We believe that no family should have to face the agonizing choice between their financial stability and the health of their beloved pet. We believe that every animal deserves access to compassionate veterinary care, regardless of their owner's income. That's why we are seeking your partnership.
The Solution:
For over 18 years, Animal Friends Alliance has provided low-cost spay/neuter and preventive veterinary care to thousands of community cats and dogs. Each year, our public veterinary clinic serves more than 10,000 pets. However, the demand for affordable veterinary services far exceeds our current capacity. Every day, we receive calls from families who cannot afford to take their pets to a traditional veterinary practice, desperately seeking help for illnesses, injuries, or urgent medical needs that we are not currently equipped to provide. These heartbreaking conversations highlight the overwhelming demand for accessible veterinary care and the urgent need to add to what we offer. With your support, we will expand our services to include: Sick & Urgent Care, Additional Surgical Procedures Beyond Spay/Neuter, and Comprehensive Wellness Care. By investing in this initiative, you will help prevent unnecessary euthanasia due to financial constraints, alleviate suffering by providing timely medical treatment, and strengthen the human-animal bond, especially for those experiencing hardship.
Like our existing clinic, the expanded veterinary services will be open to all community members at subsidized rates. Low-income pet owners will have access to additional financial assistance, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to compassionate care. By investing in this initiative, you will directly alleviate suffering, prevent unnecessary euthanasia, and keep beloved pets with their families-where they belong. With your support, we can bridge the veterinary care gap and ensure that every pet, regardless of their owner's income, receives the medical attention they need. Together, we can create a future where no family has to choose between financial stability and their pet's life.
This initiative will be led by our Executive Director, Sarah Swanty, who has dedicated 20 years to Animal Friends Alliance, alongside Mariah McCulley, Director of Community Pet Resources, who has been with the organization since 2011, and Jana Dean, DVM, Campaign Co-chair and Board Member.
Animal Friends Alliance is Unleashing Care, and we can't do it without you.
Our Story:
Animal Friends Alliance has been a trusted lifeline for animals and the people who love them across Northern Colorado for decades. Formed in 2020 through the merger of Animal House Rescue & Grooming and Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic founded in 2006, the Alliance brought together two leaders in animal welfare with a shared commitment to compassion, access, and community impact. Each year, Animal Friends Alliance serves tens of thousands of animals and families through adoption, affordable spay/neuter and preventative care, community cat programs, pet food assistance, and other essential resources that help keep pets healthy and in loving homes. Our work goes beyond rescue; we exist to prevent homelessness, strengthen the human-animal bond, and ensure help is available when it's needed most. Our Mulberry Campus has long been the heart of these community services. But as Northern Colorado continues to grow, so does the demand for accessible, affordable veterinary care, stretching our current capacity beyond its limits. The Compassion Expansion Project: Unleashing Care will allow Animal Friends Alliance to expand veterinary services with a new clinic at 2321 E. Mulberry Street, Unit 2, Fort Collins. This expansion will enable us to care for more animals, support more families, and remove barriers that too often lead to surrender or suffering. This project is an investment in a healthier, more compassionate future for animals, for families, and for our entire community.
The Problem:
For many of us, pets are family. They offer unwavering companionship, unconditional love, and immeasurable emotional support. They are sources of comfort in times of hardship and bring joy to our lives. However, for families facing financial hardship, accessing even basic veterinary care can be a heartbreaking choice between putting food on the table and caring for a sick or injured pet. This gap in care leads to preventable suffering, untreated illnesses, and, in many cases, financial euthanasia-the devastating choice to put a pet to sleep because treatment is unaffordable.
The Statistics:
Lack of access to veterinary care is a widespread and well-documented issue: A 2018 study by the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition (AVCC) found that nearly one in three (28%) of pet owners had experienced barriers to veterinary care in the previous two years, with cost being the most significant factor. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), nearly 50 million pets in the U.S. live in homes that cannot afford veterinary care. The veterinary profession is also facing a critical workforce shortage. The Veterinary Industry Tracker reports that the U.S. is short over 15,000 veterinarians needed to meet demand, disproportionately affecting low-income communities where clinics are already scarce. The impact of these challenges extends beyond individual households. When pets do not receive necessary medical care, preventable diseases spread, untreated conditions worsen, and animal shelters become overwhelmed as families surrender pets they can no longer care for. We believe that no family should have to face the agonizing choice between their financial stability and the health of their beloved pet. We believe that every animal deserves access to compassionate veterinary care, regardless of their owner's income. That's why we are seeking your partnership.
The Solution:
For over 18 years, Animal Friends Alliance has provided low-cost spay/neuter and preventive veterinary care to thousands of community cats and dogs. Each year, our public veterinary clinic serves more than 10,000 pets. However, the demand for affordable veterinary services far exceeds our current capacity. Every day, we receive calls from families who cannot afford to take their pets to a traditional veterinary practice, desperately seeking help for illnesses, injuries, or urgent medical needs that we are not currently equipped to provide. These heartbreaking conversations highlight the overwhelming demand for accessible veterinary care and the urgent need to add to what we offer. With your support, we will expand our services to include: Sick & Urgent Care, Additional Surgical Procedures Beyond Spay/Neuter, and Comprehensive Wellness Care. By investing in this initiative, you will help prevent unnecessary euthanasia due to financial constraints, alleviate suffering by providing timely medical treatment, and strengthen the human-animal bond, especially for those experiencing hardship.
Like our existing clinic, the expanded veterinary services will be open to all community members at subsidized rates. Low-income pet owners will have access to additional financial assistance, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to compassionate care. By investing in this initiative, you will directly alleviate suffering, prevent unnecessary euthanasia, and keep beloved pets with their families-where they belong. With your support, we can bridge the veterinary care gap and ensure that every pet, regardless of their owner's income, receives the medical attention they need. Together, we can create a future where no family has to choose between financial stability and their pet's life.
This initiative will be led by our Executive Director, Sarah Swanty, who has dedicated 20 years to Animal Friends Alliance, alongside Mariah McCulley, Director of Community Pet Resources, who has been with the organization since 2011, and Jana Dean, DVM, Campaign Co-chair and Board Member.