Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League
Serving Homeless Animals Throughout Gunnison County

About the GVAWL - History / Board of Directors / Values


The Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.

GVAWL is licensed by the State of Colorado as an animal-rescue agency, and is all-volunteer. GVAWL promotes the welfare of our county’s companion-animals through its programs: the Animal Care Program – including Fostering, Adoption, and Feral-Cat Colony Management – the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program, the Shelter Program, and the Community Outreach Program.

Our programs are funded by
• contributions from generous donors
• annual events such as the Fur Ball and Flea Market
• special events such as the Dog Party
• community grants from the City of Gunnison and the County of Gunnison
• grants
current grantors include The Animal Assistance Foundation, the Freda L. Hambrick Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, and the MacAllister Family Foundation.

A History of Helping Animals:
In 1986, a handful of dedicated individuals who cared for the County’s homeless animals formed a nonprofit organization called Gunnison Animal Lovers (GAL). Though their number was small, these volunteers created the spay/neuter-assistance program, placed over 1,700 pets, and relentlessly pursued the goal of establishing an animal shelter.

Over the course of eighteen years of increasing demand on their services, the hard work and stress took their toll on GAL’s leaders. In September 2003, they turned over the reins of the organization to a group of fresh volunteers, charging them with continuing established programs, expanding services, and leading a new effort to build a shelter.

In October 2003, GAL became the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League. With the addition of many, many devoted volunteers, the GVAWL is keeping on with the work begun by GAL. Our valley’s residents - human and animal - are forever indebted to the Gunnison Animal Lovers.

Meet the Board of Directors

• Jeff Boril
• Linda Corene
• Cheryl Dandel - Animal Care Director, Secretary
• Margaret McLeod - Vice President
• Karen Shondeck, Spay/Neuter Program Director, Treasurer
• Lora VanRenselaar - President

Values Statement

• We believe that animal well-being is necessary to the physical and mental health of our community.
• We believe that the well-being of an animal includes not only basic requirements – adequate shelter, clean water, food, and humane treatment – but also veterinary care, adequate exercise, and the experience of consistent positive human contact.
• We believe that the problem of pet overpopulation must be addressed through providing access to inexpensive spay/neuter procedures.
• We believe that public education is of paramount importance in promoting animal well-being.
• We regard humane euthanasia to be acceptable when an animal is deemed either to be experiencing extreme pain and/or suffering or to be non-rehabilitatable.
• We believe that an open-admission shelter will best serve the needs of the area at this time.