Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region reports nearly 8,000 animals taken in at Pueblo campus in 2024; expands wellness and spay/neuter services

Representatives of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region briefed Pueblo City Council on April 7, 2025 about the shelter’s history in Pueblo and its 2024 operations, including intake, rehoming and clinic activity.

Julie Justman, vice president of operations, summarized the organization’s contractual relationship with the city and county and recalled that the Humane Society reentered service agreements with the City of Pueblo after a prior operator relinquished the facility in early 2019. The Humane Society noted community and county support for a new shelter facility and said the county continues to maintain the building grounds under a local agreement.

Erin Van Duzeren, director of shelter operations for the Pueblo campus, presented key 2024 statistics: the Pueblo location received more than 8,000 animals in 2024 and adopted out 2,704 animals. The shelter transferred roughly 2,600 animals to partner agencies across Colorado to increase rehoming opportunities and reunited about 1,500 lost pets with their owners. Van Duzeren also said the region‑wide total spay/neuter count for the Humane Society in 2024 exceeded 15,000 animals.

The presentation highlighted the local Pueblo wellness clinic and spay/neuter work. Van Duzeren said Pueblo Wellness Clinics increased public spay/neuter capacity by 359% year‑over‑year, increased low‑cost vaccination capacity by 12%, and increased veterinary wellness appointments by 6%. The shelter reported spaying/neutering and vaccinating more than 1,300 community cats in 2024; the group said about 1,000 of those came from community colony managers.

Lindsey Vigna, assistant director of animal law enforcement for Pueblo, reviewed enforcement and community‑engagement activity for 2024: roughly 16,000 calls for service handled across jurisdictions HSPPR serves, more than 1,600 responses to dangerous‑animal incidents, nearly 600 calls regarding injured animals, 262 court appearances (municipal, county and district levels), and more than 3,200 cruelty‑investigation responses. Vigna also noted proactive patrols and a high level of public events and outreach; HSPPR’s Pueblo team won a local Parade of Lights award for its animal‑themed float.

Justman and Van Duzeren described recent program developments: a PetSmart Charities grant of $100,000 awarded in December 2024 for an incubator project focused on the Pueblo Eastside neighborhood; an on‑site wellness clinic partnership with PetSmart (wellness and spay/neuter services at a former Banfield clinic inside a PetSmart store); and growth in volunteer hours and early 2025 service counts (more than 1,600 animals taken in during Q1 2025).

Councilors did not take formal action on the presentation; the briefing provided councilmembers with current operational metrics, program updates and requests for continuing cooperation among the Humane Society, city and county.

Ending — The Humane Society asked the council to continue coordination on building operations, community outreach and support for the Pueblo wellness and spay/neuter programs.