Animal Welfare

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Welfare has selected ten applicants to receive a total of $200,000 to help improve the well-being of Colorado’s domestic horses. During the competitive grant process, a panel consisting of horse experts reviewed more than 30 applications requesting more than $1M in funding, and selected projects that would have the greatest impact on domestic equine welfare. 

The Douglas County Canine Rescue (DCCR) has relinquished its license to operate a pet facility in Colorado to settle two cases brought by the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) program in 2023 and 2024. 

Agriculture’s new Division of Animal Welfare is accepting competitive grant applications for the new Equine Welfare Assistance Grant Program. This year, the legislature appropriated $200,000 to fund projects that promote the well-being of Colorado’s domestic animals with a focus on equines. 

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s new Division of Animal Welfare is seeking input from people with expertise on horse, donkey and mule welfare to help shape the new Equine Welfare Assistance Grant program. Stakeholders can provide comments by taking a brief survey to help inform how to develop the grant program, which will award a total of $200,000 to projects that promote the well-being of Colorado’s domestic equines. The survey closes on September 18.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture welcomes Joe Stafford as its first director of the new Division of Animal Welfare. Bringing with him more than 23 years dedicated to animal welfare, Stafford will manage the operations of the newly formed division that houses both of CDA’s animal welfare programs: the Bureau of Animal Protection (BAP) and the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) Program.

To advance the administration of animal welfare programs and provide additional capacity for the Animal Health Division, the Colorado legislature passed a bill establishing the Division of Animal Welfare at the Colorado Department of Agriculture (HB24-1458). The Colorado Department of Agriculture is now seeking a qualified candidate for this first-ever position of Division of Animal Welfare Director.