Humane Society of Western Montana -

Events

We have been listening, learning and challenging our perspectives of what it means to be a humane organization. This is the beginning of our efforts to be more equitable, inclusive and diverse.

Statement on Black Lives Matter

We are a humane organization, founded on principles of compassion and empathy, and the elimination of cruelty and suffering. We believe that Black Lives Matter. We acknowledge that people of color suffer under inhumane, insidious, systemic, and overt racism. By failing to consider racial and cultural bias in our past practices, we have contributed in ways small, large, and yet unmeasured to institutionalized racism.

The Humane Society of Western Montana (HSWM) apologizes for the role we have played in preserving practices that fail to acknowledge the dignity of everyone we encounter. We are listening to people of color. We are committed to lasting change.

We believe in creating an environment where Black and Indigenous people and, by extension, all people, have the social, economic, and political power to thrive.* We are resolved to diversify the voices within our organization, among leadership, employees, volunteers, contributors, customers, and collaborators. We are committed to prioritizing conscientious changes to our practices to ensure no one is marginalized.

We acknowledge that in a predominantly white community and within the predominantly white animal welfare field, we must be relentless and deliberate in the struggle to restore equality and justice.

The damage racism has done to the fabric of our interdependence has made the garment unfit to wear.** We are responsible for reknitting the cloth so that it becomes a banner around which we celebrate our healing rather than the shroud in which we bury our humanity.
  

*adapted from Black Lives Matter Global Network “What We Believe”. https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/
**King, Jr., ML. (1963). Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Birmingham, Alabama.

Adoption Information

Please visit our 'Adoption Information' page for updated information about our virtual Meet & Greet and Adoption Appointment options. You can find view adoptable cats and dogs on our website. Already know who you may be interested in? Click here for to fill out the pre-adoption Pet & People Profile.

Or check out pets availabe through Home To Home™ - an innovative program that allows pets needing a new home to go from one home to the next without having to enter a shelter.

We are reachable at (406) 549-3934 or paws@myhswm.org.

We appreciate our volunteers, but ask that the building be limited to staff-only as much as possible.

If you would like to support HSWM you can donate through the ‘Donate’ button above, through Facebook.

Thank you for your for your continued support and understanding and please stay well.