Beartooth Humane Alliance assists the people and animals of Carbon County and Stillwater County, Montana, by helping companion animals in need, promoting responsible animal care through education, providing solutions to dog and cat overpopulation, and serving as an animal welfare resource.

Beartooth Humane Alliance serves two large, rural counties in Montana: Carbon (11,600 pop, 2,060 sq mi) and Stillwater (9,200 pop, 1,800 sq mi). Before our founding, there was no resource for companion-animal problems: pet rehoming, animals found without identification (some injured or ill), animal cruelty or neglect, low-income families unable to care for pets, out-of-control barn cat populations, and more. At our first free spay/neuter clinic, organized by our team in 2003, we sterilized nearly 500 dogs and cats over two days -- residents and officials praised this new service. Every year since, we have responded to a growing number of calls for help; in 2023, we found new homes for 217 animals and arranged spay/neuter for 455. Our aspiration going forward is to ensure that no animal in need goes without immediate care and no person with an animal question or problem goes without assistance.

Goal One: To continue providing our needed and wanted services, we are working on building a sound financial base (attracting ongoing donors, introducing a planned giving program, building relationships with granters, etc.) and developing our people (providing training opportunities for staff, recruiting and retaining volunteers, attracting talented board members, etc.).

Goal Two: We are striving to make spay/neuter services more widely available (to prevent the births of unwanted puppies and kittens) and to present our education programs (dog bite prevention, proper pet care) to more young people. To reach more people and animals who need our help, we want to keep building relationships with veterinarians, city/county officials, law enforcement, and others.

Goal Three: The animals we rescue are cared for in volunteer foster homes, which are challenging to recruit and retain. Now, our region in scenic Montana has been "discovered," and as the human population grows, so will animal needs. We continually evaluate the need for an animal shelter building and maintain an eye toward possible partnerships, funding sources, etc.