Azalea came to Grand Rivers Humane Society in early 2025 after a severe animal abuse case. In conjunction with Mesa County Sheriffs Office and Mesa County Animal Services, Grand Rivers Humane Society took her into our care to provide the emergency medical care she needed. She ultimately needed a rear leg amputation due to a severe fracture in her growth plate. Luckily, she is doing very well now!
With the outpouring of support from the community, we are happy to announce the start of Azalea's Fund. Donations to this fund will go directly to severely injured or ill dogs or cats that are in need of acute emergent medical care from our veterinary partners in the community. Please join us in supporting these critically ill pets of the Grand Valley.
Hope is a beautiful black with white 4-year-old female Australian Cattle Dog who was hit by a vehicle on I-70 in Grand Junction. Grand Junction Police Animal Control called GRHS and asked if we could find a foster home and take her as they felt Hope was too seriously injured and wouldn't do well recovering at Mesa County Animal Services. She had a very severe head injury, serious chest contusions (with a chest tube), wasn't walking well, and was very underweight. She was still at the vet and progressing to medically stable. GRHS found a foster and sweet Hope went into our foster care after her chest tube was removed.
Our foster did everything possible to make sure Hope was comfortable and quiet to let her brain rest and heal. She rested almost 24/7, started eating and drinking well, turned out she was housebroken, and she started going on tiny potty walks in foster's backyard. She had "foot drop" from her brain injury, where her feet were folded over and she was walking on the top of her feet.
The GRHS foster continued to keep her very calm, continued backyard potty walks, continued feeding her nutritious food, and slowly started training her on good household manners. Over time, Hope started walking on the bottom of her feet, with foot drop on only one foot some of the time - which is great progress!
Sweet, calm Hope is now adoptable and we are looking for an adopter with a very calm home and wants a super sweet doggie companion.
Olive was found by GJPD's Animal Control Team and brought to All Pets Center with such a severe URI (upper respiratory infection) she could not stand, see, or eat on her own. Thankfully, GRHS agreed to pay for her medical expenses and she was immediately placed in a medically experienced foster home, where she is healing comfortably. During her first few days, she was routinely fed by syringe, and her foster family has been carefully working on getting her eyes cleaned up. They are still swollen shut, and she has a long journey ahead of her, but she is doing better every day, and has even started to purr.
Earl is a 2-year-old male Rottweiler who loves his people and exploring the world around him. He unfortunately was diagnosed with a torn CCL (like a human ACL) and required TPLO surgery on 5/27/25. He went into a loving foster home directly after surgery so that he can heal in a calm environment. He will go through graduated physical therapy (PT) steps over the next 8-12 weeks with his foster. This surgery is very expensive but necessary for Earl to live his best life! Earl is a sweetheart and a beautiful dog. After 2 months of PT, he will be ready for his furever home! We are accepting applications for this sweet boy now - head over to the dog adoption application if you are interested!
Ember was caught in controlled agricultural burn in Loma and suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns in various places including her lips, nose, ears, and paws. GRHS took her in and placed her in a foster home. Her burns have required multiple veterinary visits to remove the eschar (burned) tissue and is now healing very well! Ember is a very sweet, spunky, and loving girl who doesn't even seem to know she is injured. She's only 6 months old so she has energy and is ready to play!
Braveheart is an extremely emaciated 3yr male Belgian Malinois mix who was found on the side of Hwy 141 by a Good Samaritan and brought to an ER vet in GJ. Grand Rivers Humane Society was asked to help with his care and medical costs.
He went into a GRHS foster home (at 39lbs) and was put on a strict feeding schedule by the vet. Over 3 months later and he is at his goal weight of 80lbs! He developed severe anxiety of new people and new things as he gained weight. We think this was due to being abused/abandoned. His fosters worked with a trainer to slowly introduce him to new things in a safe environment and build confidence.
Braveheart has now been adopted and is in great health with his new family!!!
Wally is a gorgeous 1-year-old male black lab who was hit by TWO cars and fractured his right rear leg in two places - he was taken in by GRHS and had orthopedic surgery to repair his leg. He has been recovering in a loving GRHS foster home and is doing wonderful! Wally’s fosters say he is loving and playful, and loves other dogs. How can you resist that face?! We are thrilled to be able to cover his medical expenses with Azalea's fund.
Joey was found by GJPD with his left rear leg stuck in chainlink fencing. He had severe lacerations to his leg and was presumably trying to chew his leg off to break free. GRHS agreed to take in Joey and pay for his medical care - Joey was taken to the ER Vet, who amputated his back left leg.
Long-haired Mama Luna became a GRHS kitty while heavily pregnant. She went into a GRHS foster home and named Luna. All of our vets said she was likely a week away from labor, but a week went by and no action. She was checked by the vet and they decided everything looked ok to wait. Then on 4/7/25 she started heavily bleeding and having labor complications. She went to the ER vet in the middle of the night for an emergent C-section and it was successful. 4/5 kittens survived - unfortunately a dead kitten was stuck in the birth canal and the other 4 kittens could not come out properly. If Lunda had not gone to the ER vet, it is likely Luna & all kittens would have died. Kittens are all very strong and healthy babies now recovering in an experienced neonatal kitten foster home. Mom did not produce milk and babies have to be bottle-fed every 2 hours even throughout the night. Mama Luna is doing well and recovering from surgery. Luna also had mats shaved off her back so normal new fur will grow back in. She has a long way to go but is very happy to be inside in a loving GRHS foster home.
