DOUBLE YOUR DONATION UP TO $10,000! JOIN US IN BRINGING MORE SMILES TO THE FACES OF HOMELESS PETS THIS YEAR ON COLORADO GIVES DAY, DECEMBER 9, 2025!
We have the opportunity to receive matching grants this year up to $10,000 for Colorado Gives Day! The animals are counting on you to help make this happen! Please donate as generously as you can to save more lives this year!
Together we can save the lives of dogs and cats by pulling them from overcrowded shelters and placing them in loving foster homes until their forever homes are found. The graphic shows a conservative estimate for expenses per animal. Your gift helps every pet receive whatever care they need!
Animal Rescue of the Rockies' primary focus is on saving "last chance" pets on euthanasia lists at overcrowded shelters in Colorado and in nearby states. When pets are pulled from shelters, they're placed in qualified foster homes until loving forever homes are found. Over the last 21 years, over 10,000 lucky dogs and cats have been saved from euthanasia. Your support truly saves lives!
Many pets in shelters suffer from treatable illnesses or injuries, and your donation will help us get them to safety where they can receive the veterinary care they so desperately need. Often, shelters don't have the resources available to help pets like this, so we step in to give them the second chance they deserve. In addition to helping overcrowded shelters, ARR's dedicated volunteers rescue hundreds of cats and kittens each year from life on the streets. Outdoor community cats are trapped, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and returned to their communities if they are unable to become indoor cats. This prevents the cycle of new litters being born and ensures that adult cats enjoy more healthy lives outdoors. Kittens and friendly adult cats are placed in foster care and socialized before they're adopted to loving homes.
ARR is a member of the Best Friends Animal Society's Network Partners, working towards a nationwide goal of a home for every pet. We hope you'll help us reach this goal by donating to save as many lives as possible.
Our adoptable pets are listed on ARR's website: www.arrcolorado.org.
In 2024 we adopted out 1,646 lucky dogs and cats - 154 more than in 2023 - thanks to your support!
"A.R.R. is a GREAT Rescue group!! I am a PROUD Foster and Volunteer for this group and enjoy being a part of a rescue with integrity, respect, and great values!! Thank you to all involved with A.R.R. and lets keep striving to make a difference for thousands and thousands of more animals to come!!"
Julia Mihalak
"I love being a foster for ARR! What a great group of volunteers saving lives! Please join us and share with friends!"
Meghan Chancy Ledington
"This is the rescue I am working with, they depend entirely on foster homes for their rescues, if anyone is interested in fostering or adopting get in touch with them, or me. You will be glad you did, they are awesome!"
Beth Wilson
"A plea to save two doggies is what brought me and my husband into ARR as well! That was November of 2010, and we have been doing it ever since, because as you know, there is no end to the lives that have to be saved!! It is true when is it said that the doggies save us!!
ARR has such terrific people, with loving hearts, who have become great friends, and we have met great people in the adopters we have met!! What a great life experience it has been!!
I can't tell you what Joy it has brought to my life, and still is!!"
Sandy Stevens
"A plea to save a dog from euthanasia is what brought me first to ARR, and I now am a dedicated supporter of this organization for life. Everyone here has a heart of gold and it comes through in every kind and encouraging email. Day in and day out, you guys are always positive. The goal of every rescue is to help the animals but the people of ARR are really who make this rescue so great. Thank you again everyone!!"
Heleena Hufnagel
"I've only been with you wonderful people for a few months but I can't imagine not being associated with ARR now. Years ago when I set up my online banking account, one of my security questions was "what is your dream job", my answer was animal care and it has come true in a great way. All who know me, know that I love animals and make them my priority even over people sometimes because they can't speak for themselves."
Juanita Spears
Animal Rescue of the Rockies pulls pets at risk from euthanasia in overcrowded shelters. We place the pets in pre-qualified loving foster homes and ensure each pet is spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before adopting them into forever homes. We promote spaying and neutering to reduce pet overpopulation and encourage quality relationships between pets and their people through behavior resources and training.
History of Animal Rescue of the Rockies
Animal Rescue of the Rockies (ARR) was founded in 2003 in Breckenridge, Colorado. Karen Martiny, the organization's founder, wanted to do something to honor her handicapped dog, Buffy, a former shelter dog. Buffy was a small Scottie Terrier-Poodle mix who became paralyzed in her hindquarters at age five from a ruptured spinal cord disc.
Surgery didn't fix the problem, so Buffy used a doggie wheelchair cart for the last 9 ½ years of her life. Buffy's determination and cheerful demeanor inspired everyone who met her. When Karen needed to do a community service project for a workshop she was attending, she realized helping other shelter pets would be the perfect way to honor her little trooper, Buffy. Animal Rescue of the Rockies was born as a result.
Gathering four friends to help with the endeavor, Karen traveled to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah to attend their workshop, "How to Start an Animal Sanctuary." The group came away armed with over 700 pages of information on how to start and operate a rescue organization. But more than that, they returned home with the determination to make their newly formed rescue group a success.
In 2009, Animal Rescue of the Rockies received 501(c)(3) non-profit status and opened our Cat Casita at High Paw Pet Supplies in Fairplay, Colorado. The Cat Casita provides a cage-free kitty playroom where adoptable cats enjoy living while they wait for their forever homes. Kerrie Lynn is our Cat Casita manager.
Our primary focus is to take in pets from overcrowded shelters in Colorado and surrounding states. Rescue pets are placed in qualified foster homes until loving forever homes are found. Adoptable cats are also housed at several PetSmart stores in the Denver area and at the PetSmart store in Grand Junction.
Animal Rescue of the Rockies holds adoption events at various venues throughout the year. Most of our adoptable pets are listed on our website, www.arrcolorado.org, and on several national online pet lists.
Our Board of Directors consists of 5 individuals from varying backgrounds, all of whom are very "hands on" in ARR's operations:
Karen Martiny - Board President/Executive Director Kelly Rushing - Board Member/Dog Division Director
Kristin Parsons - Board Member/Cat Division Coordinator
Katie Lawler - Board Treasurer
Sasha Galbraith - Board Member/Volunteer
Animal Rescue of the Rockies is also a partner in Best Friends Animal Society's No More Homeless Pets Network.
Organization name
Animal Rescue of the Rockies
other names
ARR
2003
Category
Animal-Related
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
DenverMailing
13918 E. Mississippi Ave. #60188Denver, CO, US
CO, US
Grand Junction, CO, US
