About This Website

Dedicated in loving memory of my brother, Larry, who shared our vision of creating something to help as many shelter animals to find loving homes as was humanly possible, and also in memory of Sadie and Nugget, our once in a lifetime dogs.

Our goal

The goal of this page is to increase adoptions of Montana pets currently held in shelters, humane societies, and rescue groups across the state.

Our philosophy

We strongly support spay/neutering of all non-show quality companion animals prior to any litters.

We believe pets should go to screened homes only and be spayed/neutered prior to adoption.

We applaud and support the efforts of rescue groups, breed clubs, and kennel clubs working towards these same goals.

We oppose the sale of live animals in pet stores and applaud those who have already opted to show only shelter pets in their stores.

We oppose purchasing purebreds from back yard breeders, puppy mills, or anyone who breeds for any purpose other than to better the breed.

Criteria for Joining this Site

Click HERE for the complete requirements and frequently asked questions.

Our history

Ron and I began as volunteers for the Lewis & Clark Humane Society in Helena, Montana in the fall of 1993. We started by designing and implementing software for use in lost and found which was tremendously successful, having increased the owner located rates on stray dogs from 25% to the 70’s% and stray cats from near 0% to approximately 13%. From there, we expanded that software to include an animal waiting list which we also maintained daily. Next we computerized the animal census lists into "resident lists" to be used for advertising the animals. These were posted in seventy local businesses around town regularly. This was so successful in increasing adoptions that we began networking with other cities and shelters, making use of volunteers in other towns surrounding Helena, to also post our census sheets there. As of April 1998, more than one fourth of our adoptions were going to locations more than thirty miles from the shelter. I also wrote the Independent Record "Pickapet" ads since their inception.

We began talking about creating a webpage for the Lewis & Clark Humane Society several years ago. Eventually we, together with three other local people put that plan into action. Ron and I designed, implemented, and maintained a large portion of the webpage for ten months on a daily basis that included the Lewis & Clark Humane Society’s total census with pictures, including follow up stories of all pets leaving the shelter each day. We had many emails from people asking how they could help a particular animal, thus came the Guardian Angel Program which allowed people to sponsor the pet of their choice on the webpage with credit given to them under the animal's picture. We were surprised at the number of inquiries about long distance adoptions, so we reached out to the community to help make that possible and the response was overwhelming. The Independent Record donated the "ride needed" ads and participation from the local travel agents helped more than twenty shelter dogs get to screened, loving homes in other states.

From there we went on to add a link to the other Montana shelters and featured some of their available pets on our site. This was so successful, that in ten months time, more than three thousand people were viewing the Lewis & Clark Humane Society webpage each month. In April of 1998, Ron and I decided that we were ready for new challenges so we stepped down as webmasters for the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, in order to start this page with the ultimate goal of having one page from which people could link to all the Montana shelters and humane societies.

Our plan is to expand the same format and writing style the public has enjoyed those ten months on the Lewis & Clark Humane Society webpage to as many of the other Montana shelters who have requested us as time allows. It will be updated daily in the same manner as we did before. We hope you enjoy it and welcome your feedback.

Dianne and Ron Armstrong

About the webmasters

Dianne is an RN employed full time at a local hospital.
Visit Dianne's Homepage or E-Mail comments to montanapets@earthlink.net

Ron was an Internet Specialist for the State of Montana (retired) and now is enjoying photography.
View Ron's Photos on Flickr or E-Mail comments to montanapets@earthlink.net

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