3 minute read
Homeward Bound
NorthWestern Energy’s support of Livingston animal shelter helps pets find forever homes.
Lightning and Dozer have experienced a lot of upheaval in their short lives.
Lightning is a 3-year-old female mixed-breed dog, and Dozer is a 2-year-old very large male mixed-breed. The two ended up at the Stafford Animal Shelter in Livingston, Montana, in early March after their owner, a 34-year-old Montana woman, died in a car accident. A year before, they lost their other owner to a car accident.
“They’ve had a traumatic past couple years,” said Lauren Smith, Executive Director of the Stafford Animal Shelter.
To help minimize the amount of time Lightning and Dozer would have to spend at the shelter, NorthWestern Energy sponsored their adoption fees. Donations from businesses like NorthWestern allow Stafford to waive adoption fees on animals that might be harder to adopt out, Lauren explained.
“When we get those tough cases like that, it’s nice to sponsor their fees,” she said.
NorthWestern has sponsored several fundraising events that benefit Stafford as well.
“Stafford Animal Shelter provides an invaluable service to our community,” said Heather Bellamy, NorthWestern Energy Community Relations Manager for the Bozeman Division. “I love being a part of helping animals find their forever homes.”
In late 2023, 12 hound dogs were surrendered to Stafford – 10 puppies and two juveniles.
“They were very under-socialized, and hounds are hard to adopt out,” Lauren said.
NorthWestern Energy was able to sponsor the adoption fees of the two young hounds – Beverly and Lwaxana – who have both been adopted.
Sabin Pasch and her husband saw Beverly’s photo online and knew they needed to meet her.
“I know ‘love at first sight’ is a bit cheesy, but before we interacted with her she seemed so special,” Sabin said of Beverly. “We had no idea her adoption fee was even sponsored until we signed all of the paperwork. It meant an incredible amount knowing that NorthWestern sponsored her.”
Beverly has settled in and adjusted well to her new home.
“It took her a few weeks to get used to people walking around,” Sabin said. “She was terrified of a lot but so super curious.”
Today, Beverly loves snuggles and butt scratches. She loves walks with her brother Buddy and meeting new friends.
Beverly, Lightning and Dozer are just a few of the roughly 1,100 animals helped every year by the Stafford Animal Shelter.
In 2022, the shelter was flooded, and all the animals had to be evacuated. Stafford reopened in early 2023 and is back to normal operations.
