Finding a loose dog in Denver now comes with homework. Denver Animal Protection is asking neighbors who spot dogs on the run to safely catch them and bring them in when possible, since officers are not always available to respond. With shelter and field teams stretched thin as abuse, bite, and surrender cases climb across the city, staff say community volunteers and calm, cautious residents are often the first, and sometimes only, line of help for strays.
The numbers back up the plea. After reviewing calls and shelter figures from 2021 to 2025, the city found a jump in cruelty and neglect reports. There were roughly 1,000 more stray-dog reports in 2025 than in 2021, and officials say the number of dogs surrendered has more than doubled over five years, as reported by Denverite…