Ziva the brave

During our last fiscal year (July 2025 to June 2026), we welcomed over 17,000 animals into our care. Many – almost 2,000! – were lost pets we happily reunited with the families that love them.

Some pets and equines are surrendered to us due to unforeseen circumstances. Then there are our stray animal friends: the ones who come in with no known history, no one to claim them during the 5-day lost hold, and no home to go to. While we don’t see as many stray animals as we used to, thanks to humane education and a cultural shift toward pets as family members, we do still welcome homeless cats and dogs into our care to rest, receive nourishing food, and experience life-changing care.

Ziva, her momma dog, and her two littermates were seen roaming near Englewood in the Overland and Cushing Park neighborhoods for more than a month before a compassionate resident was able to provide them with the help they needed – a ride to Humane Colorado.

A frightened Ziva, then known as Espresso for her latte-colored coat, was glued to her momma dog’s side. Ziva was underweight, unfamiliar with people, and had diarrhea, which increased her discomfort in her new surroundings. To help her adjust, we enrolled Ziva in our K9Courage program.

K9Courage is a behavior modification program for dogs in our care to help them build critical skills, learn socialization skills, reduce stress and fear, and gain confidence in their relationships with people and other pets.

Slowly but surely, Ziva’s personality appeared.

Shining through

Out in one of our play yards, we could see her exuberant personality and vitality for life. In her kennel, Ziva would shut down, stressed by the shelter environment, but still eager for a home. That’s how Eliza saw her.

“I wasn’t even coming in to adopt,” Eliza told us, two months after bringing Ziva home. “But I saw her on the long-stay list, and I asked myself, ‘How? She’s just a puppy! Everyone loves puppies.” After meeting her, Eliza knew Ziva was her dog. “I literally ran to the pet store to pick up everything I needed because I didn’t have anything. I knew she needed someone to love her. She didn’t deserve to be in a shelter.”

And Eliza was the right “someone” for Ziva.

Eliza didn’t realize how much she missed having a dog in her life – it had been several years since she experienced that companionship. Growing up, her family had social, energetic, working dogs. Ziva, believed to be a pit bull, is her first “leisure” pup.

The life of the Cherry Creek Trail

“We come out to the trail every day,” Eliza tells us as we watch Ziva splash in Cherry Creek, explore the surrounding area, and excavate an extra-large stick from a pile in the tall grass. “Those are all of the sticks she collects,” Eliza tells us as Ziva starts chomping away, satisfied with her selection.

“She’ll pick up a stick on our walk and add it to her secret stash for tomorrow’s adventure.”

On Sunny days, Ziva is outfitted for the outdoors. As a fair-haired pup, Ziva requires sunscreen to protect her skin and stylish shades to protect her light seafoam eyes.

Some days, they practice just being – almost like meditation – time Ziva tolerates but would prefer to run around and play.

As she plays, we talk more about her progress and how much she loves life.

Ziva now knows the world isn’t scary and is opening up to people and dog friends. Her former tucked-tail, nervous greetings have evolved into confident hellos. Even with strangers, she remains cautious but open, especially when treats are involved. She zoomies up and down the steps, hops into the bathtub, and absolutely LOVES to get into the water.

As we recall the timid girl Eliza first met at our Leslie A. Malone Center, our hearts filled with joy to see how social and affectionate Ziva has become.

“I love getting to watch her become the brave girl that’s in there. She’s exactly what I needed.”
– Eliza