MaxFund Denver: Inside the No Kill Animal Shelter South Denver Pet Lovers Should Know

Some organizations become institutions. In Denver’s animal welfare community, MaxFund — rebranded in recent years as True Companions — is exactly that. Since 1987, the shelter has operated on a simple but radical commitment: no healthy or treatable animal will be euthanized. In a city where animal shelters process thousands of animals a year, that promise matters. And it’s kept South Denver pet lovers, dog park regulars, and neighborhood families connected to the organization for decades.

If you live in Washington Park, Wash Park West, Platt Park, University Hills, Glendale, or any of the neighborhoods that make up South Denver, there’s a good chance you know someone who adopted through MaxFund — or you’ve walked past a dog whose story started on Jason Street.

From MaxFund to True Companions: What Changed (And What Didn’t)

Long-time Denverites know the name MaxFund. The shelter became a fixture in the local rescue community through decades of consistent no-kill work, community adoption events, and a visible social media presence that helped dogs and cats find homes all over the metro. In recent years, the organization rebranded to True Companions — new name, same mission, same address, same team.

The rebrand was about modernizing the identity and broadening the brand to better reflect the full scope of work: not just animal adoption, but veterinary services, community outreach, mobile adoption events, and long-term rescue partnerships. The organization’s website (maxfund.org) now redirects to truecompanions.org, but search for “MaxFund Denver” and you’ll still find the community that built this organization over nearly four decades.

📍 True Companions (formerly MaxFund Denver)
1062 S Jason Street, Denver, CO 80223 | Phone: 303.595.3316 | truecompanions.org

No-Kill: What It Actually Means

The term “no-kill” gets applied loosely in the animal rescue world — sometimes to shelters that are still euthanizing animals at high rates, just not as high as the municipal average. True Companions uses the term in its most rigorous sense: no healthy or treatable animal is euthanized. Period.

This sounds obvious until you understand the math. Denver Animal Shelter processes thousands of animals each year. Space is finite. Resources are limited. A true no-kill shelter doesn’t just say no to euthanasia — it has to build the systems that make the alternative possible: a robust foster network, fast placement partnerships, medical capacity to treat injured or sick animals, and a community of adopters who keep returning because the experience is good.

True Companions has built all of those systems over 35+ years. That’s the structural story behind a name that South Denver families trust.

Location: Closer to South Denver Than You’d Think

The shelter sits on S Jason Street in the Athmar Park neighborhood — west of I-25, south of Alameda, north of Evans. From Washington Park, it’s about 15 minutes by car. From University Hills or Hampden, slightly less. From Cherry Creek, right around 20 minutes.

For South Denver residents accustomed to driving into the city for services, this is a quick, accessible trip — especially for an adoption visit or a drop-in at one of the shelter’s regular community events. The location isn’t in South Denver proper, but it serves the South Denver community in meaningful ways: through adoption events that come to the neighborhoods, a foster program that spans the metro, and partnerships with veterinary clinics across the south metro area.

Adopting Through True Companions

The adoption process at True Companions is designed to be thorough without being bureaucratic. The shelter wants animals matched well — not just placed quickly — which means the application and meet-and-greet process involves real conversation about lifestyle, living situation, other pets, activity level, and what kind of animal would actually thrive in your home.

What South Denver adopters consistently note about the experience:

• Staff knowledge: The team knows the animals. They’ll tell you honestly if a dog needs a quieter home or if a cat has been returned before and why. That candor saves difficult returns later.
• Post-adoption support: Adoption doesn’t end at the door. True Companions offers post-adoption guidance and stays connected with adopters when adjustments are needed.
• Foster-to-adopt: For families uncertain about full commitment or navigating a specific situation — new baby, existing pets, allergy concerns — the foster-to-adopt path lets the relationship develop before it’s permanent.
• Variety of animals: While dogs and cats make up the majority of adoptions, the shelter has placed rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small animals over the years.

Available animals are listed in real time at truecompanions.org. The listings include photos, temperament notes, known history, and what kind of home each animal is suited for. It’s worth checking even if you’re not actively looking — sometimes the right dog just appears.

Fostering: The South Denver Connection

Foster programs are the backbone of a no-kill shelter’s capacity, and True Companions has one of the most active in Denver. Fosters provide temporary homes for animals who need recovery time, socialization, quiet after surgery, or simply a break from shelter life before permanent placement.

For South Denver families — especially those with larger homes, backyards, or flexible schedules — fostering is a way to contribute meaningfully without the permanent commitment of adoption. The shelter provides all the supplies and veterinary care. Fosters provide the home environment.

The commitment varies by animal. A post-surgical foster might be two weeks. A socialization foster for a shy dog might be one to three months. Kitten fosters often run four to eight weeks, until the kittens are old enough for adoption. True Companions matches foster situations to household situations — families with kids, families with existing pets, and solo adults with quiet apartments can all find appropriate foster matches.

Veterinary Services

True Companions operates an on-site veterinary clinic that serves both shelter animals and the community. Services include:

• Low-cost spay/neuter: Available to the public, not just shelter animals. This has been one of the organization’s most impactful long-term community services — reducing overpopulation at the source.
• Vaccinations: Core vaccines offered at accessible prices, often through community clinics and events.
• General wellness: Exams and basic care for existing pets in families that need affordable options.
• Microchipping: Low-cost microchip services, frequently offered at adoption and community events.

For South Denver pet owners — particularly in neighborhoods where median home prices have risen sharply and household budgets are already stretched — the availability of low-cost veterinary services through True Companions is genuinely useful, not just a nice-to-have.

Mobile Adoption Events and South Denver Presence

One of the ways True Companions shows up in South Denver neighborhoods directly is through mobile adoption events. The organization operates adoption events throughout the metro — at breweries, pet supply stores, parks, and community events — bringing adoptable animals out of the shelter and into neighborhoods where potential adopters live.

Washington Park area events, Cherry Creek-area pop-ups, and University Hills community days have all been part of the event calendar over the years. Following True Companions on social media is the easiest way to catch upcoming events before they fill. The organization is active on Instagram and Facebook under the @TrueCompanionsDenver handles.

Volunteering

True Companions runs one of Denver’s more active shelter volunteer programs. Volunteer roles include:

• Dog walkers and play group supervisors — providing exercise and socialization for shelter dogs
• Cat socializers — spending time with cats to keep them comfortable and adoptable
• Event volunteers — staffing mobile adoption events and fundraisers across the metro
• Administrative support — helping with intake, data entry, and communications
• Photography — compelling photos dramatically improve adoption rates; volunteer photographers are always in demand

Orientation for new volunteers is typically offered monthly. South Denver residents who can commit even a few hours a week find that shelter volunteering fits surprisingly well into the neighborhood lifestyle — morning dog walks before work, weekend event support, or evening cat time.

How to Support Without Adopting or Volunteering

For South Denver residents who want to support the mission without adopting or volunteering, there are practical options:

• Donations: Operating a no-kill shelter with veterinary services is expensive. True Companions accepts one-time and recurring donations directly through truecompanions.org.
• Wish lists: The shelter regularly posts supply needs — food, toys, blankets, cleaning supplies. Amazon wish lists make this easy.
• Fundraising events: The organization hosts several fundraising events annually, ranging from run/walks to brewery nights to gala events. These are social occasions that double as meaningful support.
• Share adoption posts: South Denver’s strong neighborhood social networks — Nextdoor, neighborhood Facebook groups, community apps — are real amplifiers for adoption listings. Sharing a dog’s photo to your Washington Park neighbors group can be the connection that finds a home.

Why South Denver Pet Owners Choose This Organization

There are multiple rescue organizations and shelters in the Denver metro. South Denver pet lovers who specifically align with MaxFund/True Companions over the years tend to cite a few consistent reasons:

The no-kill commitment is non-negotiable for them. Some families won’t support organizations that euthanize healthy animals. True Companions’ 35+ year track record on this point is verifiable.

The organization is transparent. Animal count, outcomes, and financial information are publicly available. That transparency builds trust with the kind of community that South Denver neighborhoods tend to attract — professionals, families, people who do their research.

It’s community-facing, not just shelter-facing. The mobile events, the vet clinic open to the public, the foster program that spans the metro — these are outward-facing services that meet people where they are, rather than requiring everyone to come to Jason Street.

The rebrand didn’t break continuity. True Companions is still MaxFund. The people, the animals, the address, the mission — all intact. For a community that builds loyalty over years, that continuity matters.

Practical Information for First-Time Visitors

• Address: 1062 S Jason Street, Denver, CO 80223
• Website: truecompanions.org
• Phone: 303.595.3316
• Parking: Street parking available on Jason Street and surrounding blocks
• Hours: Check truecompanions.org for current hours — they vary seasonally and by service type
• Getting there from South Denver: Take I-25 north to the Alameda exit, head west on Alameda, south on Jason. From University Hills/DTC, Hampden to Santa Fe north to Alameda is typically faster than I-25 at peak hours

Final Take

True Companions — the organization that South Denver has known as MaxFund for nearly four decades — is the kind of institution that cities need and rarely get to keep. The no-kill commitment is easy to state and hard to execute. The fact that this organization has done it consistently since 1987, built real community infrastructure around it, and evolved the brand without losing the mission is genuinely notable.

If you’re a South Denver pet owner who hasn’t yet connected with this organization, now is a good time. Whether you’re thinking about adoption, have a spare room for a foster, want to volunteer, or just want to put a shelter worth supporting on your donation list — True Companions has earned it.

Visit truecompanions.org to see current animals available for adoption, check event schedules, or sign up to foster or volunteer.