Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League

As the only full-service rescue of homeless animals in the Valley, GVAWL relies on contributions, fundraising efforts, and grants to provide the necessary veterinary care, food, and vaccinations for our intakes, and to support our operation of the Sue MacAllister Animal Shelter and Adoption Center and its programs.

The Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League (GVAWL) has multiple programs which are the core of its mission statement. These programs include housing and caring for stray and homeless animals, adopting animals into permanent homes, providing education to the community on the proper care of animals to help prevent their neglect and mistreatment, assisting community members with spay and neuter costs, and the utilization of our Silver Whiskers program.

GVAWL accepts stray and relinquished cats and dogs throughout Gunnison County and provides care to them in either the shelter or approved foster homes. This care includes microchipping, vaccinations, spay/neuter, and any emergency or necessary veterinary treatment required before an animal can be returned to its owner or adopted to a new home.  We are the only animal shelter directly affiliated with the City and County of Gunnison and we work closely with all law enforcement agencies and when possible, with neighboring counties Hinsdale and Saguache as they do not have such services available. 

In addition, we strongly encourage and stress the importance of spaying and neutering pets and provide assistance to our community members by offering coupons to those in need of financial assistance as well as spaying/neutering feral cats in the county.

We also manage a Silver Whiskers Program in which we match seniors with senior pets, waive the adoption fees, and assist with the cost of the animal's care. And we provide education within the school system, through social media, and by utilizing pamphlets which we provide to adopters, on the proper treatment of animals to help prevent abuse and neglect.

Touching Stories from Over the Years

As Told By An Adopter:

"Calvin arrived at my home as a foster after he had been rescued from living his life on a chain. He was gentle and sweet but scared and timid and had clearly been neglected. Calvin hid for hours on end, would not initiate cuddling or affection, and did not trust strangers. Eventually, with patience and love,  he began to improve. I would wake up in the morning, and Calvin would have his head resting on my leg. He started to give kisses and learned how to be a dog. I knew he was meant to be my boy so I signed the adoption papers. 

Over time, Calvin came to trust my mom and my husband. He went to work with me every day, hiked with my husband and me, played with his dog siblings, and had the time of his life running through muddy water. I will always recommend adopters consider the scared dog or the one hiding in the back of the kennel. They can make the most amazing friend you will ever have."

Elsa:

Elsa came to the shelter in the dead of the winter after being rescued from living as a stray. She was dehydrated, had swelling to her right rear leg, frost bite on her ears, and two large punction wounds on her tail and leg. She had clearly survived an attack by a predator and was freezing in the cold Gunnison temperatures. Elsa was provided with medical attention which included the amputation of her leg, ear tips, and part of her tail. Elsa was nursed back to health in a foster home as she learned how to be a three-legged feline and later adopted by a loving family who adore her.