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Maxfund
Rating Details »
Categories: Animal Shelters, Pet Stores
Neighborhoods: Southwest, Lincoln Park1025 Galapago Street
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 595-4917
- Hours:
Mon., Wed-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
18 reviews for Maxfund
Maxfund is the most amazing shelter I have ever been to. I have adopted 2 cats and I couldn't be happier with the entire process.
After reading reviews I am a little confused. People mentioned that they were frustrated with the process because it took long and was very thorough. If you are adopting a living breathing thing I would think that this would be something expected, necessary, and appreciated. They did check both of my references right away and even called to give me updates on references that they could not get a hold of. I appreciated the fact that they wanted to make sure that their animals were going to loving safe homes. There are too many animals that are abused to take short cuts on this process.
The best part about Maxfund is their office manager and their volunteers. The people in the front office are FANTASTIC. Even when I go back they remember me and ask how my cats are and remember the cats names. The volunteers do a great job of getting to know each animal and actually write descriptions of their personalities which is very helpful and helps avoid surprises. They really take the time to make sure that you are adopting the right pet for your situation. They ask questions and make suggestions.
Maxfund is a fantastic nonprofit and I urge anyone who is looking to adopt a pet to go there first. In addition if you are feeling the Philanthropic bug you can always donate. They really deserve it.
Four stars because I didn't tour the kennels, I wasn't there to adopt so there was really no need. I came across a stray dog, and one place I had hear great things about was Max Fund. The staff was really friendly, helpful and answered the few questions I did have. If you're looking for a friendly dog (granted I was only with him for an hour), sweet and well behaved, look for "Pete."
Skip Maxfund, go to the Denver Dumb Friends League. Here's my story:
After one of my dogs had died from cancer, I came across a dog at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter by the name of 'Farley'. Farley was a ball-crazy, completely undisciplined lab mix who had been taken from the original owner due to severe neglect and had been in the shelter for over 8 weeks. We visited him once, went home to think about the responsibility of adopting a completely INSANE dog, and went back the next day to adopt him. Unfortunately, Farley was gone, and after being misdirected, we eventually tracked him down to Maxfund.
We went down to Maxfund the next day and were there when they opened, having heard about the crowds. I told them that Farley had been transferred before we could adopt him from the Denver shelter. We filled out all the paperwork and were told we could take Farley for a walk and introduce him to our other dog. We had to wait for at least an hour, because Farley was unavailable for some reason, and they didn't know where he was. Apparently, he was being walked by a volunteer.
While we waited, we went through the kennels, which were TERRIBLE. They were smelly, dirty, and the dogs were unbathed. I was surprised, since my only other experience with a private shelter was DDFL, and they were clean, sanitary, and every dog was groomed during intake.
At any rate, after about an hour, we were able to take Farley for a walk with our other dog, so that we could make sure they got along. Everything was fine, and we were very excited about the new addition to our family. We came back to the shelter to finalize arrangements, only to be told that we did not qualify! They initially did not give a reason, but I am a persistent person, and I eventually got them to admit that it was because we would keep the dog outside during the work day, because we were gone for 9+ hours. I explained that, although the dogs are let outside, we have a doggie door into our garage with beds and water inside. The garage never gets below freezing (and I only adopt dogs that can handle cold weather), and on the rare occassions (once per year) where it dips below zero outside, I make arrangements to keep the dogs inside during the day.
This was not good enough. Dogs have to be inside all day and all night. (Our dogs are only outside when we will be gone for 7+ hours)When I pressed for a reason, they said, "Because dogs are stolen out of yards." What!? I know this can happen, sometimes, but we have a 6 ft privacy fence with a lock on the gate at the end of a cul-de-sac. I have never heard of a dog being taken out of our neighborhood.
I left, very upset, and told a friend of mine what had happened. It turns out that she was a significant donor to Maxfund. She wrote them a letter expressing her concern and letting them know that she had spent time watching our dogs, and we have a perfect setup and would be a great home. This also was not good enough for Maxfund. They told her that they would not change their decision.
So much for Farley. I hope he found a good home and that it didn't take too long in that stinking, messy hellhole.
Truth be told, I had always been a bit irritated at Maxfund, because of their constant crowing about being a 'no kill' shelter. Well, the reason they can be 'no kill' is because they can turn dogs away when they are full. Other shelters don't have the luxury of turning dogs away -- they have to take them all, whether or not they are aggressive, adoptable, or if they are full. Thus, the euthanasia, which nobody wants to deal with, but which is a sad reality. Now I have first-hand experience that shows how Maxfund's small-minded and judgmental attitude extends beyond their view of kill shelters to their adoption policy.
My friend notified Maxfund that she would be withdrawing her support. She then dedicated her time and money to a different organization, http://www.goldenretri..., where we happened to adopt a beautiful Golden who had been rescued from her miserable existence as a breeder in a puppy mill.
I am not upset that Maxfund is rigorous in their adoption process. The adoption process at Golden Retriever Freedom is actually more rigorous. However, GRFR happens to be reasonable. Maxfund is run like a little dictatorship.
If you want to go to a shelter instead of a rescue where dogs are fostered, I would highly recommend Denver Dumb Friends League. Supporting an organization like Maxfund is rewarding poor management.
I went to MaxFund looking for a new cat and I was completely frustrated with the entire adoption process. I felt like I was interviewing for a maximum security job somewhere. Took my keys, ID, and have to fill out a huge application with references.
Even though I provided them with the references, they didn't get around to calling them for about a week. When I tried to call their offices, i was always met with voice mail.
Being in the shelter itself was a very depressing experience. The place looks horrible, smells even worse, and the staff is practically non-existent. After finding a cat I wanted, I then entered into the application hell.
It took 2 weeks for them to finally get back to me and say I was approved to adopt my cat. By then, I had already been to the Dumb Friend's League and had a new cat at home, the very same day I went in there.
I appreciate what MaxFund is doing, but my experience both in and out of the shelter will cause me to never go back again. Besides, I feel pretty great that I rescued my baby from possible death.
To anyone out there looking to adopt a pet (which you probably are or your wouldn't be reading this), PLEASE consider the MaxFund. I am a volunteer who spends time almost every weekend working at the shelter and I can tell you from first-hand experience that your life will be changed in a positive way by adopting one of our great cats or dogs. As you can see from the reviews, the shelter does have some issues that can turn people off (i.e. taking keys and id from visitors, location, run-down facility, under staffing), but I can assure you we make up for that in the quality care and attention we provide to the animals in our care.
MaxFund is definitely not the place to go if you are expecting and to be in and out with a new pet in one afternoon. We do have a rigorous adoption process, but it is in place for a reason, which is to ensure that every animal ends up in the right home for them (given their background and personality). Try to remember that the health and happiness of the cats and dogs in is MaxFund's ONLY priority, which sometimes means a little aggravation for the person wanting to adopt a pet.
The staff and volunteers at MaxFund are some of the most dedicated animal lovers you will ever have the opportunity to meet, and if you are willing to overlook the negatives stated above and in numerous other reviews, I assure you that the outcome will be well worth it and that, down the line, when you are enjoying your life with your new cat or dog you will not think back and dwell on the little things that bothered you during the process of adopting them.
http://Petfinder.com is a great way to get your cute animal fix but in reality, many of the animals on there are in foster homes or may have already been adopted so the best way to find the right animal for you is to go to the shelters themselves.
Last Monday, my boyfriend and I decided to take the tour of shelters to look for a new kitten companion for our cat who is bored in our new house and misses our former roommate's cat.
MaxFund was the first stop on our tour and also ended up being the last after we fell in love with Popeye and filled out an adoption application. (We were going to hit up the Alley Cat Rescue and Dumb Friends League after.)
MaxFund was VERY thorough in ensuring that they were not just adopting out a kitten who would end up back in the shelter later due to negligent owners. They asked for THREE references as well as our landlord's contact info, as they require permission.
The only downside to the thorough check of references is that we didn't hear back from them until Friday that we had been approved and didn't get to pick him up until Saturday. We were prepared to take him home much sooner than that, however I realize many people might not be.
I fell in love with so many animals while in the shelter, and tried to convince my boyfriend that we should take home a dog too. Well maybe I'll be back when we're ready to find that right pooch to join our family.
Maxfund is a wonderful no-kill organization that helps out so many homeless and sick/injured animals who otherwise would be left on the streets.
Volunteering at a no-kill cat shelter in Chicago, I was not surprised they asked for ID / other identification. If you aren't willing to part with your driver's license or car keys for a little bit while you meet potential furry friends, then maybe you aren't all that serious about adopting or playing with the animals. The application is supposed to be thorough; after all, so many animals are returned or adopted on impulse that you can't blame an organization who helps animals to have the kitties/puppies best interests in mind.
There are a variety of different rooms for the animals, and I hope at some point in the future, they incorporate different socializations into each cat room and create "colonies". The volunteers know the animals, and do care about them very much.
Yes, the shelter is not gleaming and new, but as it does not receive public funding, it relies only on donor and volunteer support to make it work. Any shelter not rolling in money encounters similar problems. If you don't like it, then lend hand and be part of the solution, and don't complain!
I visited Maxfund several years ago to donate some canned dog food. My first impression was of the neighborhood - in the barrio, across the street from West High School. What a crappy location! But I started thinking (it took a while!) This is exactly where Maxfund needs to be located.
What happens when you are a person of color, second-language speaker, impoverished and come from a background where pets are considered expendable or treated like livestock? You cannot afford a visit to the doctor yourself much less pay for an exam for your dog or cat. I invite to you visit Maxfund for an afternoon and watch the clientele that walk through the door. This under-served neighborhood is exactly where Maxfund needs to be.
My second impression was that the receptionist was extremely busy as the phone was ringing off the hook. As in similar animal shelter situations, this place is understaffed, even with the troops of volunteers because of the out-of-control pet overpopulation problem. Most of the phone calls were something along these lines "No, I'm sorry; Maxfund is currently full. Why don't you try "alternative shelter #1, alternative shelter #2, ect......" For everyone one caller trying to adopt a pet, there are nine callers trying to find their pet a new home.
I remember going to the back kennels where some of the dogs where being kept. I remember one in particular: it had so many things wrong with it that any other place would have terminated it's life a long time ago. The dog had been abused in addition to it's many physical ailments. Maxfund had no expectations of anyone actually ever adopting this animal. The condition was beyond tragic -That was depressing. What kind of quality of life did this dog have?
Anyway, I have to hand it to Maxfund for being a no-kill shelter. All too often the knee-jerk reaction to the overpopulation problem to euthanize adoptable animals. The real solution is to educated the masses about the problem, encourage the spay and neuter message which is so obvious (en Espanol, tambien).
NEW! Sign up for Maxfund's Newsletter for information on: events, fundraisers and Maxfund news.......
http://www.maxfund.org
I don't want to totally slam Maxfund...so I'll start off by saying:
Being a no-kill shelter in a community that really needs its presence: 5 stars.
Being orgainzed to handle adoptions or accepting new volunteers: negative 2 stars.
In 2004, we tried to adopt a cat. Tried, being the opportune word. We gave them our ID's, name to our apartment manager, three references, etc. I'm not mad about that part. I actually think it's great that they made sure we'd be good pet owners. I know they called one of my friends for sure (since she later told me). But by the time they were done calling all our references, the cat I was interested in was already adopted. I tried working with them for two weeks to adopt another cat, and had no luck at all. I'd end up into voicemails, or waiting on hold forever. Luckily we found a cat online that had a litter of kittens and were able to find our baby.
On to volunteering. My husband is a huge cat and dog person...and he wanted to volunteer at MaxFund. He tried setting up volunteering for 2 weeks. The same problem, the person who runs the volunteer program is hopelessly busy and can't get anyone set up to help him out. My husband burned through endless cell phone minutes waiting to get a hold of anyone, and drove down twice. They need so much help that they actually need help recruiting volunteers. Pretty sad. I do wish them all the best. I'm sad because from the reviews, its seems like they need a neat freak like my husband (think hank hill. doesn't even like oil stains in front of the house on the street)
I love the Maxfund!
So does my dog!
I had thought about getting a dog for awhile and was just browsing their site online one day almost six years ago (my how time flies!) Saw a picture of a black lab mix whose brown eyes were pleading at the camera and I read his story which was written from his point of view and completely amazing! Immediately I had to call to see if this fur man was still available! To my excitement, he was!
I ran down to the shelter to meet him and I was allowed to sit with him in a supply room for quite awhile as he was very scared. I fell in love as his little heart was beating so quickly while laying on my legs on the floor.
Sure, the application is lengthy, but I am actually really glad they have it, as they do not want to risk having a dog or cat go to someone who cannot take care of it properly. Plus, even though this is a no-kill shelter, the animals are primarily animals who have no known homes, and have been abused or injured prior to arriving at the Maxfund.
I have been back many times to thank them, and still see a few of the same people who were there when I got my dog!
I will always recommend and continue to adopt from Maxfund!!
now...if only someone could invent a pill to make our best friends live forever!!
I visited Maxfund for the first time today and I have mixed feelings.
Firstly, I want to support any no-kill rescue or shelter where the animals are given veterinary care, and general well-care (healthy diets, play time and walks, and so on). From what I can assume after observing the volunteers at the shelter today, Maxfund fits these requirements, which is AWESOME.
That being said, the odor when you enter Maxfund is fairly overwhelming, and I'm not sure what causes it. Yes, most shelters smell like dog (in many ways!) However, this is the first time I've walked into a shelter and have really been hit like I did.
I was surprised at how strict the shelter is with walk-ins. I had to hand over both my I.D. (driver's license) and the keys to my car. I found this a little over the top. Want me to sign in? Fine. Hell, hang onto my I.D., but the keys to my car? If the shelter truly has such problems with theft of dogs and cats - I'm shocked!! I've never seen this before, so I was a bit taken aback, but I understand the need to prevent people walking off with dogs. Just not sure about how whole car key thing . . .
All of the dogs were in typical rescue-size kennels - each dog had about four times its size in space. The cats, however, seemed to have their own rooms to hang out in, but I believe there were also kennels for the cats as well. I felt really bad for the dogs - almost every dog was barking at me. Given, many of the dogs have been rescued from neglect situations, are afraid and confused, and you'd bark at strangers if you were in a scary place, too. Or you'd bark to get their attention. Nonetheless, it was pretty sad and i wish that every dog will find a home.
Finally, I really wasn't impressed with the level of cleanliness here. I hate to compare Maxfund to Denver Dumb Friends League, but when I visited DDFL the floors were nearly spotless. There were maybe two dogs with mess in their cages - Maxfund had over 10 cages today where feces or urine hadn't been cleaned. There was even urine on the floor in one room and a volunteer petting a dog, who ignored a child when they saw the pee and screamed "EW!" There were lots of "ews" today, and really hope that this was just an off day. If it isn't, it means that Maxfund needs MORE VOLUNTEERS.
Despite the fact that the dogs could have been happier and the floors could have been cleaner, I will never discourage someone from adopting their next pet from a shelter. Maxfund is no exception, especially since they're a rare no-kill shelter. Hopefully the next time I visit things will be a little cleaner, and there will be less animals because you're all adopting them all!!
Edited to Add: I'm actually fairly upset having just gone to Maxfund's web site and read what appears to be a volunteer notice (via a link featured on Maxfund's homepage titled "ZOOTOO DIRECTORS COMING TO MAXFUND APRIL 25TH!" with no reference to being volunteer specific. In this notice it is mentioned that "As folks who frequent the shelter might know, there is a bit of kennel cough going around with some of the dogs. Kennel cough is fairly common in shelters and kennels, no matter what we do to prevent it - and even though we vaccinate against it, it is still possible for animals to be contaminated (similiar to getting a flu shot, but still getting the flu). The chances of transmitting this to your dog at home is slim, but if you are worried you can bring a change of clothes and disinfect your hands often (as you do anyway, right?) and you should be fine!"
There were NO signs posted on premises warning me, a current dog owner, that kennel cough is going around, and while chances of bringing it home to my vaccinated pups MAY be slim, it's completely unprofessional and unsettling to find out this news - long after I've come home from the shelter and played with my dogs. =\
I have visited Maxfund multiple times over the years to adopt a pet and every time I have been turned off. They are clearly not set up to for adoptions. Visiting pets is a huge problem & when you get in there you realize how unsanitary it is. I am in support of the no-kill shelter and I understand that there are times & situations where it is inevitable.
I understand the process should be through, but these are animals that need to be adopted. The reason so many pets don't get adopted from Maxfund is because of the treachery they put you through and the lack of information they provide about the dogs. They would not let us see one because they were too busy, we came back & still no luck even with an appointment. The next time we tried they did not want to adopt to us because we already had one dog. After talking with a volunteer at a fair one year, they said it would be okay if we brought our dog--which we would have done anyway, because our dog is so important to us--and then were told again that they did not have any dogs that would live well with another dog.
Oh, well. I'm sure some people have had a good experience with them and they are making some efforts to help.
Hurray for Maxfund! Denver's oldest no-kill rescue group and only true no-kill shelter is one of my favorite organizations to recommend to folks. While they will put a pet to sleep if it is suffering, there is no 'adoptable/non-adoptable' screening process. Everyone gets a chance, and second and third chances, too.
You will find both cats and dogs at Maxfund, along with an extremely knowledgeable staff and volunteer base. The shelter is largely volunteer-run, but has not suffered from this whatsoever. In fact, quite the opposite- the volunteers often know the individual pets better than paid employees might, and can steer you towards a good fit to your home.
Maxfund is also one of the common places for pets seized from abusive homes or found severely injured to go, because they own a state of the art veterinary facility. If you want to open your home to a special needs animal- either a behaviorally troubled pet with an abusive past, or a pet with physical handicaps- this is a good place to start your search.
Because of the no-kill policy, Maxfund is always full to the gills, so potential pet adopters, start your search here! Every pet placed means a spot opens up for an animal in need.
Please adopt your dogs and do it at Maxfund. I love the no kill thing and unlike other shelters that receive a whole lotta funding, they feed the animals healthy food. There are always so many good ones who need a home. I donate to this shelter because they are really great.
I think this is a great place to find your new member of the family!! The smell isn't great, but if you look beyond that, you will find volunteers who spend time with each individual animal trying to socialize it and care for it. Not one animal gets neglected here, and they provide help for injured animals. No one gets turned away or put down. I saw two volunteers go around each kennel and they spent a good amount of time with each animal!!! They treat them like they were their own. Please donate, volunteer or adopt from this wonderful organization!
There's no question the folks at the Maxfund have their hearts in the right place. The notion of a no kill shelter is wonderful, but this shelter leaves much to be desired.
You can sense the tension when you walk through the doors. These animals are stressed. The facility smells, and the noise can be overwhelming.
The screening process is a terrific idea, and the volunteers at this shelter really do care. But the adoption policies don't seem terribly progressive. We already own a female dog, and wanted to add another to the household. They allowed us to adopt a female puppy, with absolutely no warnings about female/female dominance aggression. Sadly, as the puppy grew, the fighting began. We could not keep both dogs. Our vet and our dog trainer told us these issues are very common and are rarely resolved. We've since learned that many other shelters won't allow people to adopt a second female because of dominance issues. We hope the Maxfund will consider this policy in the future so other potential adopters won't have to go through what we did.
So here I am trying to do a good thing and NOT buy from a breeder but rescue an animal that needs me more than I need it. I went down to look at 2 puppies that were posted on their website that had already been adopted out 2 days before I even saw them on the site. So they don't keep the site up and the lady at the front desk even admitted it. So go down there if you want to see what they have. Anyway after realizing that the dogs we wanted were gone I decided to look anyway. I fell in love with a puppy and applied to get him only to find out that we would not be a family they would accept to adopt him. Turns out that families with small children cannot adopt puppies only older dogs....which if you are a parent of a younger child the thought of bringing a large shelter dog into your house with who knows what life trauma, is not the road you want to travel. We have a dog and our child is great with him. Even after offering to have a rep come observe our family and my son, we were still turned down. It makes me sad to want to do a good thing and have a snobby shelter of all places tell you no. I mean I get that it is a no kill shelter, which I completely support, and that they can take their sweet time to find "the perfect home" but what is better for the animal? A loving home or months in a cage while they figure it out. Some of those dogs have been there for months and months. Sadly I will never go back there. Such a disappointment and heart breaker.
I went to the shelter aspect of Maxfund (NOT the vet) this weekend looking to adopt a new dog. My current dog was a puppy mill rescue, and he means so much to me, I wanted to save someone else too. This place is pretty crazy though... try to go during the week, because the weekend is PACKED! The receptionists are very nice, despite the fact that this place is super stretched. They seem to treat the dogs in the shelter very well, and let you have time with any one you are interested in, but because they are so short on time/energy/staff they don't always give you all the important info you need about the dog you are interested. Example: I wanted to hang out with one of the dogs. They said sure, here you go. I put out my hand to let it sniff me, and it attacked my hand. I was bleeding everywhere, crying, and scaring all the kids. What they didn't tell me was that this dog was very aggressive, was not friendly, and was A BITER! If I would have known, I would not have tried to take the dog out. So visit this place, but make extra effort to get info because you might not get it outright.
