We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellen Williamson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
In 2014 I began a career in real estate in Telluride, CO. I worked with incredibly succesful individuals who were equally influential and affluent. I grew passionate about building relationships and being involved with beautiful properties and environments. But I was also noticing very little philanthropy associated with very high-dollar real estate transactions, and some clients were anything but thoughtful and generous after extraordinary financial gains in selling some of these properties. While my heart loved what I was doing, I became disheartened by some of the greed I witnessed. In 2016, I lost a dear friend to suicide. I shattered into a million little pieces. My world was not the same nor would it ever be again. And then one year later, I lost my Mom to cancer after a brief diagnosis with cancer. I needed to do something purposeful and meaningful. Within 6 months of my Mom passing way, in 2018, I founded the Telluride Humane Society, a 501 c 3 nonprofit that advocates for animal welfare in many different forms.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets us apart from other rescue organizations and animal welfare groups is that we take an extraordinarily personal and high touch approach to every pet we work with. We are not high volume by which we rescue 15 pets in one swoop. But we are consistent in rescuing one after another after another, and our rescue numbers have added up that way. We are incredibly thoughtful with each pet we bring into our program and we provide everything the pet needs for it to begin its next and best chapter in life. If needed for the pet, we provide bloodwork and diagnostic testing, dental procedures if needed…what ever it takes. We focus individually on each pet like they are a family member, and that makes a remarkable difference in the messaging to people who are interested in rescuing a pet. Our motto and mission is for people to make “recsue their favorite breed.” Since the pandemic, our rescue work and animal advocacy grew quietly by word of mouth and social media and adopters. We have had huge success in placing pets in new forever homes because most people don’t want to walk into a shelter and have the high emotion of the sadness and despair and hopelessness. Every pet visit of ours is done in the adopters own home, or we meet in beautiful and inspired locations such as our local Town Park, or on a hiking trail. It’s an incredibly personal experience and allows the pet to be as low stress as possible, and as much to their true personality as they can be.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

This is a tough one because basically everywhere in Telluride is special and unique. Interestingly, the Telluride Humane Society has adopted to homes in 27 different states and we regularly bring people to Telluride from different places all of the time.

When people arrive, I encourage them to take a photo with one of our pets they have just adopted on Main Street with the mountain peak, Ajax, in the background. It is an iconic photo when anyone is in Telluride.

The next great adventure is to ride on the free Gondola that connects the historic mining town of Telluride with the world-class Telluride Ski Resort, another iconic feature of Telluride. The views from the Gondola are amazing and they are also fantastic pictures with pets.

I love sending friends and adopters to Crossbow Leather where they make custom leather dog collars and leashes. They are a super special token to take home from Telluride for your pet.

When friends and adopters need supplies, I send them to Dirt Dawg. They have the friendliest staff and great dog washing and grooming stations.

Must stops also include Bruno in Telluride ( the coffee shop on main Street named after the owner’s dog named Bruno) and the bookstore next door, Between the Covers. The bookstore has great dog-themed items. Coffee Cowboy, a locals’ coffee spot in a hip green Airstream trailer, at the base of the Gondola is a fun stop with your dog for coffee, too. If you’re lucky, you may see the owner’s Black Lab, Ruby, who is a sweetheart.

The Butcher & Baker is the go-to for a great breakfast, lunch or dinner and in the warmer months, you can dine outside with your dogs. Cosmo is my favorite restaurant – just a completely feel good, happy place with superb cuisine. The chef and owner, Chad Scothorn, adopted his current dog, Spud, a yellow Lab from us, which makes my visits to Cosmo all the more special. And for a great flavor of the “Old West”, nothing compares to the bar at the Old Sheridan.

For adventures with your dogs while visiting, the classic trails that are quintessential to a visit in Telluride are the Jud Wiebe that will give you a breathtaking view over the Town of Telluride, and Bear Creek which ends with a stunning waterfall at the end. For those that can adventure 10-15 minutes outside of town, Alta Lakes is really special. It is an old mining ghost town nearly 10,000-12,000 ft in elevation filled with trails for hiking to mountain biking and the most crystal clear lake waters you can imagine.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Telluride Humane Society exists 100% on community members who open their hearts and private homes to fostering the pets we rescue until they find their forever homes. Without the dozens and dozens of local Telluride residents who have offered to help each pet from rescue to safety to adoption, we would have no foundation for our efforts and accomplishments. We are not a shelter and we have no physical space or address. So this has truly become an incredible and inspired effort among many extraordinary people in the Telluride area. The HUGEST thank you to our fosters, volunteers, adopters and donors!!!

Website: www.telluridehumanesociety.org

Instagram: telluridehumanesociety

Image Credits
Ellen Williamson

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.