With it’s wide open spaces and outdoorsy lifestyle, Colorado’s largest city is a great place to be a pet parent. Whether you’ve got a Lykoi in LoDo, or a Flat-Coated Retriever in Five Points, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll take you through the hidden gems and insider tips of being a Denver pet owner, and while we’re at it, we’ll go through the ins-and-outs of pet insurance so you can keep your furry companion (and your wallet) covered.
What is pet insurance for dogs and cats?
Pet insurance assists in covering the costs of your vet bills. You pay a premium each month to the insurance company, and in return, you can care for your canine or feline fur fam without having to worry about how much it will cost.
With Lemonade pet insurance, there are numerous ways to customize your policy with our coverage options:
To begin with, a base Lemonade pet health insurance policy will assist in covering the costs of medication, tests, and treatments if your cat or dog has an unexpected accident or illness.
A base policy is excellent for the unexpected things in your fur fam’s future. Still, Lemonade also offers preventative care packages, which are designed to keep your pet healthy and help cover expenses you’re probably paying for anyway. By adding this package to a Lemonade policy, you’ll also get access to a live medical chat option and will get covered for all kinds of things—like your annual blood tests, vaccinations, wellness exam, and more. There may be some applicable exclusions.
Lemonade offers a Preventative, Preventative+, and a Puppy/Kitten Preventative package. Depending on your pet’s age, this package covers things like spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, and flea and tick treatments.
You can also customize your Lemonade policy with a mix and match of optional add-ons like: physical therapy, vet visit fees, dental illness, behavioral conditions, and end-of-life and remembrance—to help take the bite out of pricey treatments, services, and trips to the vet.
Here’s an example of how a Lemonade pet insurance policy works:
- Buy a policy. You answer a few quick questions about your German Shepherd, Bronco, and build your pet’s policy with the help of our friendly AI chatbot. The monthly premium you pay is determined by various factors, primarily things that you can customize, like your annual deductible, co-insurance, coverage package, and the annual limit on your plan. (If you would like, you can take a deeper dive into how pet insurance works to help you create your perfect policy.) Pet insurance coverage with Lemonade can cost as low as $10/month. Here’s a handy breakdown of the whole (simple) process.
- Go to the vet. You rush Bronco to the vet after he broke his leg from playing too rough at the dog park. The exam, x-ray, and cast cost you $1,000. Woof. But since you have pet insurance, you don’t have to worry about the total amount. Find out what we cover here.
- Get your money back. Bronco is safely on the mend, and you get up to a $900 reimbursement back in your pocket from Lemonade!
It’s worth noting that as your dog ages, they will require more veterinary care and treatments, which is why it pays to take out a pet insurance policy for your dog as early as possible. If you try to sign your 13-year-old dog up for insurance for the first time, they might be declined due to their age; either way, they’re more likely to have pre-existing conditions that won’t be covered by insurance. But if you get your new puppy a Lemonade policy right away, you’ll be able to continue renewing their policy as they age.
Apply now to get your free pet insurance quote.
Top Denver dog parks
Energetic pup? Let them run wild in one of Denver’s many off-leash dog parks. Just make sure your pup is up-to-date on their vaccinations and spayed or neutered before you let them cut loose.
- Lowry Dog Park. Denver’s city dog parks tend to have a sand surface, and Lowry dog park, near the air force base, is no exception. There are two exercise areas, for high and low energy dogs, both containing landscaped hills and agility obstacle courses to explore.
- Stapleton Dog Park. Located in the heart of Denver, Stapleton Dog Park provides urban pooches with three sandy acres to run and socialize. There are fire hydrants scattered throughout, and a water fountain to keep Fido hydrated.
- Centennial Dog Park. Toward the south of the city lies Centennial dog park: 37 acres of lush grass surround a central pond, offering hours of off-leash entertainment and exercise. There are also a number of trails to explore, both on and off-leash.
- Chatfield Dog Park. With nearly 70 fenced-in acres to roam in, two ponds, and miles of paved and unpaved trails to explore, Chatfield is a a doggy paradise in the heart of Denver.
- Cherry Creek State Park. Nestled in the suburb of Aurora is the 4,000 acre Cherry Creek State Park, 100 of which are fenced-in for off-leash fun. There’s even a shallow creek, perfect for cooling off on hot days.
Support local Denver animal shelters
- MaxFund Animal Adoption Center. In 1988, an injured dog was taken to Dr Suro’s vet practice in Denver. Although Dr Suro patched him up, no owners could be located and the dog, dubbed ‘Max’, was due to be euthanized. Instead, Dr Suro and his wife launched a fund to pay for Max’s care, and found him a loving forever home. But as there was some money left in the fund, the Suro’s took on another charity case… then another. Over 30 years later, MaxFund has helped more than 37,000 dogs and cats find loving forever homes, and has expanded from Dr Suro’s original veterinary practice onto its own dedicated premises. Denver’s original no-kill shelter still never euthanizes healthy pets, and is dedicated instead to giving all the animals that come to its door a second chance at life.
- Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue. Now in its 40th year, Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue specializes in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming unwanted cats and kittens, including those diagnosed as FIV+ and FeLV+. With room for up to 125 cats, their purpose-driven shelter allows cats in their care to roam free, interacting with humans—and each other—as they await new homes, helping to keep the cats socialized and happy. The center also works with a network of foster families who look after needy cats in a home environment before they go to new homes.
- PawsCo. This Denver animal charity takes a different approach – it aims to stop pet homelessness before it happens. They do this by helping low income families take care of their pets, and keep them at home. The charity partners with the Food Bank of the Rockies to run a pet food drive year-round, donating the food to families in need to keep their pets out of the shelter system. For pets who need new homes for any reason, PawsCo also hosts a network of foster families, finding temporary homes for pets who are struggling to thrive in a shelter setting, until they can find their forever homes.
- Animal Rescue of the Rockies. Another animal welfare charity that has taken a different approach, Animal Rescue of the Rockies does not run a shelter, but instead takes pets who are struggling with living in a shelter, and places all the animals in its care with foster families until they can be found loving homes. In less than two decades, the charity has rehomed more than 10,000 dogs and cats with loving families, giving them a home for life.
Support Denver-based pet businesses
Support small Denver businesses while keeping your best friend totally pampered!
- Mouthfuls. If you want to support Colorado businesses and take a trip into town with your furry friend, Mouthfuls is the place to come. The store carries more Colorado-based pet brands than any other in the state, plus the patio is a perfect place for you pooch to rest his paws while you enjoy a coffee with friends.
- Denver Cat Company. Cat-loving coffee drinkers want a place to go too, and where better than the Denver Cat Company cat café? One of the country’s first cat café’s, it was launched in 2014 to help support the company’s non-profit arm, Denver Cat Rescue. Not only can you enjoy a coffee in the company of feline pals, if you make friends, you can adopt them too.
- Allison Mae Photography. Pet photographer and self-proclaimed ‘crazy dog lady’ Allison Mae has spent over a decade celebrating the bond between pets and their owners, set against the majestic backdrop offered by the centennial state, and the results are stunning. Specializing in dog, cat, and equine photography, she will provide you with images to treasure.
- Park Animal Hospital and Wellness Center. Nowadays, pet health care isn’t limited to standard veterinary medicine. More people are embracing alternative therapies alongside standard practice. The Park Animal Hospital provides exactly that, offering herbal medicine, acupuncture and laser therapy to compliment your pet’s standard medical care (keep in mind that some of these treatments might not be covered by pet insurance.)
- Pampered Paws Pet Spa. We all love to be pampered from time to time, and our furry friends are no different. At Pampered paws your dog can luxuriate at the spa, enjoying a full groom and decadent extras such as a facial or pawdicure. Better yet, your pup’s indulgent day will benefit the rescue dogs at Mile High Canine Rescue.
Before we go…
Isn’t being a pet parent just the best? The companionship, the kisses, the laughter! Pets really add so much to our lives. The love that Denver pet parents have for their furry companions is real. Woof.
We love our pets, but sometimes those vet bills can take a real bite out of our wallets, which is why more and more pet parents are choosing to get covered with a dog insurance plan or a cat insurance plan. Learn more about how much pet insurance costs, and whether or not pet insurance is worth it for you.
A few quick words, because we <3 our lawyers: This post is general in nature, and any statement in it doesn’t alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of policies issued by Lemonade, which differ according to your state of residence. You’re encouraged to discuss your specific circumstances with your own professional advisors. The purpose of this post is merely to provide you with info and insights you can use to make such discussions more productive! Naturally, all comments by, or references to, third parties represent their own views, and Lemonade assumes no responsibility for them. Coverage and discounts may not be available in all states.
