On this page you’ll find links to resources to help you stay well. Please remember we are not affiliated with any organization, service, website or person listed below. We are not endorsing any organization, website, service or person below. We’re just sharing information.
Nothing below should be taken as legal, medical or any other kind of advice. We have shared some personal opinions and/or feelings, that’s it.
Use this information at your own risk. Click on any third-party links at your own risk.
Spay and Neuter
- Humane Colorado
- Spay Colorado: Directory of clinics
Affordable Vet Care
Pet Insurance
Pets get sick. If you have insurance, it takes some of the financial stress out of the decisions you’ll make about your pet’s treatment options.
Pet insurance is good if you buy it early. There is often a waiting period (usually 14 days) before it kicks in. Don’t wait until your pet is sick to get it. Pre-existing conditions are often excluded.
Personally, we can tell you we and our family members have been saved MANY times by unexpected illnesses and surgies thanks to having pet insurance.
Shop around to get the best rate. Pay attention to the deductable and coverage limits. You might be tempted to get a lower monthly payment for a high deductable. Remember the deductable is what YOU pay before insurance kicks in. Make sure it’s a number you could afford at any time. Pay attention to the percentage the insurance will reimburse you for as well.
We don’t have linksk for this. Ask your vet office if they have recommendations and shop around for a good rate. A good old search should give you a few options.
“Shop”
Below are things to consider when looking to purchase a dog (or other animal from a breeder). It’s not advice (legal or any other kind).
Adopt Don’t Shop Note
To the “adopt don’t shop” person who is angrily reading this: there are many reasons why someone might want to get a specific dog breed or a dog bred for a specific purpose. The “adopt don’t shop” retoric implies a black and white landscape and ignores a lot of problems, including problematic rescues and issues with shipping dogs from rural locations into cities. We believe in ethical breeding and in adopting dogs from local (usually county) shelters.
Life is not black and white. Let’s just agree to disagree if you have this all or nothing mentality.
Do Your Research
If you are going to purchase a dog (or other animal) from a breeder, it is very important that you do your research. Make sure the breeder does health testing that includes testing for genetic issues and things like hip dysplasia. Talk to your vet or another qualified professional about things to look for when choosing a dog breeder.
You might be tempted to buy a puppy from a friend, neighbor or random facebook post. Most ethical breeders do not need to advertise to sell puppies on social media. They usually have waitlists. If you want the best chance of having a healthy dog do your research and choose a breeder who cares about the health of their dogs and it’s offsprings.
If the breeder is reluctant to give you detailed information about the types of testing done and/or results, you might want to consider a different breeder. You may also want to ask for references to see how the puppies of previous litters grew up.
Last, in general, a good sign is when a breeder states they will take the dog back from you in the future if you need to return it for any reason. Note that does NOT mean they will give you a refund. It does mean the dog shouldn’t end up at a shelter.
Again, do your own research.
Social Media Puppies
One good reason not to buy puppies from Facebook or social media in general is there are a lot of scams on social media. People will get a deposit from you and then never deliver the puppy.
The main concern though is these breeders are usually not concerned with breeding healthy dogs and don’t always ensure the health of the parent dogs either. Sometimes rescues enable these types of breeders by taking their sick dogs and “saving them”.
Most ethical breeders do not need to advertise to sell puppies on social media. They usually have waitlists. If you want the best chance of having a healthy dog do your research and choose a breeder who cares about the health of their dogs and it’s offsprings.