Humane Colorado reflects who we are today and the impact we make as leaders in animal welfare both in Colorado and nationally. Since 1910, we have responded to the community’s needs and our services have evolved to meet them. Additionally, the term “dumb,” which was used to refer to animals because they lacked the power of human speech, is outdated, unrecognized by new community members, and insensitive. Our new name reflects our long-standing mission and values, the people we work with, and the animals and communities we serve.
We’ve known for several years that we wanted to change our name, but we took our time to make sure the process was thoughtful and intentional. It was important to us that the new name, logo, tagline, and brand truly reflect our mission and values, while also incorporating input from everyone involved. The League partnered with external brand experts who conducted extensive research and gathered valuable input from community members, donors, staff, and volunteers. Using these insights, our branding partner presented several potential names, logos, and taglines to a subcommittee of our board of directors. We announced our new name logo and tagline on March 7, 2025.
Humane Colorado reflects who we are today and our impact on animal welfare in Colorado now and in the future. Our new name will also help eliminate confusion about the use of the term “dumb,” and facilitate an understanding of what our organization does. Our new logo represents our commitment to providing comprehensive services, from sheltering, advocacy, and education to delivering critical, life-saving veterinary care. Through these services, we are leading the way in creating a kinder, more humane Colorado that strives to unite communities so that all animals and people are cared for and valued. You can learn more about our logo elements here.
As part of the brand reveal, we launched a new website and social media channels. Our new website is HumaneColorado.org Social handles (Facebook, Instagram: @humanecolorado and TikTok: @humane.colorado)
Yes, most of the contact information will remain the same. Our email addresses reflect our new name, but our current email addresses will continue to work for quite some time.
While the name has changed, our mission, values, and commitment to ending pet homelessness and animal suffering remain steadfast. Our 115-year-old legacy continues to evolve as we adopt innovative approaches to enhance the lives of pets, horses, people, and communities. Humane Colorado embodies our rich history while infusing new energy to lead us forward, ensuring that both animals and communities can thrive.
While the name has changed, our mission and commitment to ending pet homelessness and animal suffering remains steadfast.
It was a collective decision of the board of directors, the leadership team, and feedback we received from the community. We partnered with external brand experts who conducted extensive research and gathered valuable input from community members, donors, staff, and volunteers. Using these insights, our branding partner presented several potential names, logos, and taglines to a subcommittee of our board of directors. We revealed the new Humane Colorado name, logo, and tagline on March 7, 2025.
Yes, our external brand partners conducted extensive research and received input from community members, donors, staff, and volunteers. Using these insights, our branding partner presented several potential names, logos, and taglines to a subcommittee of our board of directors.
As part of Dumb Friends League brand evolution, the name of the organization has changed to Humane Colorado. The term “dumb,” which was used to refer to animals because they lacked the power of human speech, is outdated, unrecognized by new community members, and insensitive. The new name better reflects our mission and values, the people we work with, and the animals we serve.
No, Humane Colorado is a 115-year old, independent nonprofit organization with no direct affiliations to any other organizations, including the national Humane Society (now called Humane World for Animals) or other animal welfare organizations with “Humane” in their name. Humane Colorado does include the Leslie A. Malone Center, the Buddy Center in Castle Rock, the Harmony Equine Center in Franktown, the Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur, and the San Luis Valley Animal Center. We recognize that we are not the only animal welfare organization that has “Humane” as part of their name, but we believe that our new name, Humane Colorado, and our long history and reputation will set us apart and allow us to reach more animals, people, and communities.
Our organization will continue serving our communities through our work, but under a new name, tagline, and logo.
Humane Colorado is committed to quality care for people facing barriers to veterinary care. For example, at our Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur, we provide high-quality, donor-subsidized, and often life-saving services for ill and injured pets who would not otherwise have access to care. We also provide accessible, pop-up vaccine clinics across the Denver metro area to support pets and people in need. We offer discounted spay and neuter services for owned cats and dogs in underserved communities in Colorado. We also championed innovative policies that will increase access to veterinary care for millions of animals. People moving to Colorado, many of whom are our potential patrons, do not know to search for the “Dumb Friends League.” Our new name better aligns with animal welfare organizations in other communities throughout the country, building a familiarity that doesn’t currently exist.
Our focus on ending pet homelessness and animal suffering has never wavered. Under our new name, Humane Colorado, we will continue to serve the community and provide essential shelter, adoption, and veterinary care services that consider the best outcomes for pets and their people.
