Bitter Root Humane Association

02/20/2025

We think that’s every day!🥰 Post a photo of your pet in the comments. 🐶😻

02/19/2025

This cutie pie was found near Porter Hill Rd in Stevi. If you recognize this cute guy give us a call at 406.363.5311.

02/19/2025

We met our new friends from Texas yesterday thanks to Petco Love and Dog Is My CoPilot, Inc. 🐶🥰 We’ve got and more! Best Friends Animal Society BISSELL Pet Foundation PetSmart Charities Maddie's Fund Greater Good Charities

02/19/2025

Happy , pals! Garth is gentle giant. He is believed to be a German Shepard/Great Pyrenees mix who is approximately seven years old. Garth has qualities that make him the ideal companion animal. His steady, loving nature radiates calmness, and those who know him appreciate his good manners. In spite of his considerable size, Garth walks well on a leash, demonstrating surprising control and ease. Garth shows no signs of dog aggression, preferring to stroll peacefully alongside his canine buddies. He’s a fan of the outdoors and has demonstrated patience and friendliness when visiting with children. If you’re looking for a big dog, with an even bigger heart, to join your family, you definitely need to meet Garth. He is available for adoption through the Bitter Root Humane Association. The shelter can be reached at (406) 363-5311 to arrange a meeting. Garth’s animal ID number is 57630331. An adoption application can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yy7mrxe9

02/18/2025

Be a superhero! Monthly donors help us continue our commitment to the pets and families in our community. Be part of the solution to reuniting lost pets with their owners. Together we can ensure that every dog and cat finds their way home. Start today for as little as $5/month. Visit: https://bitterroothumane.org and click the yellow DONATE button in the upper right corner.
Petco Love Lost Petco Love

02/17/2025

More on SB96 from our friends at Humane Society of Western Montana Legislative & Advocacy Committee

Act now! We think this bill will be scheduled for a hearing tomorrow.

Tell Members of the Montana House Local Government Committee to Vote “NO” on SB 96

SB 96 will prevent Montana local governments from adopting animal control ordinances and increase the proliferation of Puppy Mills in our state.

Key points:
• SB96 prohibits local governments from passing ordinances or resolutions that place an “undue hardship” on or ban activity relating to “working animals” or any “animal enterprise” in commerce, service, education, competition and transportation, among others. It guarantees a “right” to use working animals in nearly any way that an individual or enterprise chooses. The definition of “working animal” is too broad and generally includes any animal except those used in Montana for food.
• SB 96 will prevent Montana cities and counties from writing their own animal control ordinances. It’s a power grab by the State from local governments. This bill is overly-broad and could have far-reaching negative impacts on our communities, including prohibiting localities from passing laws relating to animal cruelty, licensing, dog bites, keeping and housing some animals, and could even extend to the reach of basic laws relating to animal care and control.
• SB 96 will overturn existing local ordinances aimed at preventing animal cruelty and expand opportunities for Puppy Mills to continue to spread throughout our state.
• The Montana Legislature has previously rebuffed any attempts to regulate Puppy Mills or to further prevent animal cruelty or the cost to communities by lawless animal enterprises through state legislation. Now they want to prevent local communities from taking even modest steps to limit the harm and cost these enterprises impose on Montanans. This bill does not protect working animals. It merely protects people who profit from using animals to make money from the inconvenience of having to provide adequate care to these animals.
• SB 96 focuses on preventing local governments from “banning” certain commercial uses of animals but this bill effectively prevents local governments from imposing any “hardship” on these enterprises without defining “hardship” [New Section 2 (2)]. “Hardship” could be a license or permit; “hardship” might be construed as requiring the regular feeding and watering of these animals…
• The bill language is so unclear, leaving locals to sort the bill’s impacts in real time—circumstance by circumstance—as they work to enforce or pass ordinances addressing animal care, keeping, and control in their communities, placing communities at risk of lawsuits, fomenting confusion about authority and enforcement, and having commonsense local legislation overturned as preempted by this bill if it becomes law.
• More than anything, SB 96 is an attempt by the Montana Legislature to take power away from local citizens to create environments that reflect their own values.

Ask members of the House Local Government Committee to Vote “NO” on SB 96

Send a message:
https://participate.legmt.gov/
1. You’ll need to register to use the participation system, but a login will save time in the future.
2. Select “Send a Message”
3. Select “A Committee” and choose “(H) Local Government” from the drop-down list.
4. Select “Continue”
5. Type and send your message.
Tips:
• Include something short and instructive for the subject, like “Please Vote ‘NO’ on SB 96”.
• Keep your message short and direct. Sample: Please Vote “NO” on SB 96. It is overreach by the State in prohibiting local citizens from making decisions about appropriate animal control measures in their own communities and unique circumstances. It interferes with the ability of locals to prevent or address animal cruelty caused by individuals and businesses in their own communities.”
• Provide at least one reason for why you think Committee members should oppose this bill. You can adapt any of the talking points above, but try to put them in your own words rather than cutting and pasting.

Thank you!

02/17/2025

It’s a full of news: Watson, Holmes, Elphaba, Willard, Ben, Mochi, Lady May, Buster, Minnie, Finley, Vanilla, Soba, Smores, Kitsune ( sadly, no pic), Custard, Green Bean, Fiona, Ace, Glinda, Marilyn, Bjorn, and Gatela are all snug in their new homes! 😻🐶❤️

02/16/2025

Georgie is a 6 year old dwarf rabbit who would love to hop on over to your place! ❤️ Come meet this sweet gal.

02/16/2025

Gizmo is a Manx mix who recently joined us. This 9 year old gentleman is eligible for our Senior to Senior adoption program. Any pet over 7 years of age has the adoption fee waived to anyone 55 or older. 🐶😻Come visit all our dogs and cats today!

02/15/2025

We’ve got lots of new feline faces looking to meet you! More snow is on the way. You need a warm snuggly buddy, so stop in today! 😻

02/15/2025

Do we need Animal Control in Ravalli County?

Many community members have reached out to us about a situation involving a dog on Old Corvallis Road, reportedly tied to a tree in the cold. While this situation is concerning and disturbing to us all, social media outrage won’t create real change. We are frequently contacted for assistance, but have no legal ability to intervene. Also, we have no local ordinances that make these types of issues unlawful.

Here’s the reality: Ravalli County does not have Animal Control. Bitter Root Humane Association is the only animal shelter in Ravalli County. We do our best to support law enforcement when called upon, but we are not publicly funded. We are the repository for all of the lost and unwanted animals, reliant solely on fundraising and grants. But, we have no authority in cases of abuse or neglect.

Ravalli County desperately needs Animal Control, but taxpayers are the only ones that can make that demand. Facebook posts will not solve this problem. Speaking with the people we elected and the entities to which we pay taxes is the answer.

If we want stronger protections for animals, our voice matters. Montana’s current laws are not enough to prevent situations like this, and a new bill—Senate Bill 96 (SB96)—should it pass, could make it even harder for law enforcement to intervene. The next hearing is February 18th at 3:00 pm.
Here’s how you can help:

Call our Representative – Ryan Zinke: (202) 225-3121

Express your feelings about SB 96 and the need for Montana to have stricter laws in place to protect animals from neglect or abuse, not fewer.

Email our County Commissioners:

Greg Chilcott: [email protected]
Dan Huls: [email protected]
Jeff Burrows: [email protected]

Tell them what your wishes are regarding Animal Control and animal protections. Real change happens when we work together.

02/15/2025

This sweet girl has been hanging out on Home Run Rd in Corvallis the last couple days. If you know her people please send them our way. She would love to go home (406)363-5311.

02/14/2025

This sweet girl was found around Mozart Road in Corvallis. Please call 406.363.5311 If you know her.

02/14/2025

continues throughout the month of February at Evans Ace Hardware! Purchase a $5 heart in support of the pets at Bitter Root Humane Association. ❤️😻🐶

02/14/2025

Thank you to our staff and who give their time and our animals. 🥰

02/13/2025

We will be closing early at 5:30 due to the weather

02/13/2025

🐱❤🐶Just a reminder that we are opening at 3:00 today THURSDAY due to the field trip 🐱❤🐶

02/13/2025

This sweet guy was found hanging out around 3 mile and Ambrose in Stevensville. If you know who this guy is give us a call at 406.363.5311.