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About Us
We are a no-kill shelter, with an open-door policy. There is no charge, nor judgment, if you need to drop off a stray that you've found, or a beloved pet that is no longer able to stay with its family, no matter the situation. We serve several different counties around Southwest Montana, and network with other shelters in the Rocky Mountain West, working together to help the animals in our care get the best chance of finding a new home.
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
- Anatole France
Board of Directors
Quarterly board meetings are open to the public on the first Tuesday of every third month (March, June, September, December) at 12:00.
Please contact us for meeting information.
Carol Delisi
Board Chair
Carol is a training consultant with nearly 30 years of experience. She has lived in the Ruby Valley near Sheridan with her husband, horses, dogs, cats and chickens since 2005. She is excited to be a part of the shelter’s good work to support Southwest Montana’s adoptable pets and their people.
Brian England
Treasurer
Brian grew up in the Gallatin Valley, leaving Montana in the 1990s to pursue a career in finance and operations, working primarily in the healthcare industry. He returned to Montana in the 2000s, and, since 2019, lives and recreates in Dillon with his wife and a variety of other animals. Brian currently teaches at the University of Montana Western in the Business and Technology Depa
Colette McGinley
Board Member
Colette has 20 years’ experience as an office manager and vet assistant with a small animal hospital. She has lived in Beaverhead County with her family for 40+ years. She has a great passion for all animals and is looking forward to being part of the shelter and all it does to help animals in need.
Joyce Pollastro
Board Member
Joyce Pollastro has been in Montana since 1992 and holds a Bachelors in Geology and a M.S. in Science Education. Joyce has had several careers in sales/marketing, working on a ranch, as a science teacher and currently is working in the Beaverhead County Environmental Health Department. Joyce’s vision for a new shelter facility is her main goal on the board. Joyce enjoys hiking, skiing, ice skating and hanging out at home with her husband, visiting their three amazing adult children, and tending to the farm animals
Cecil Jones
Board Member
Senior Staff
Executive Director
Nikki Knight
Nikki Knight grew up on a rag-tag hobby farm, and has been surrounded by animals ever since. She brings years of animal-related experience to her role of Executive Director, including work at a petting zoo and sanctuary for displaced farm animals, and her studies in Natural Horsemanship at UMW. She’s spent many summers tuning up outfitters’ riding stock and pulling troubled horses from auctions; giving them a second chance to shine. Providing shelter and resources to the animals of our community is just second nature to her. When she’s not working at the shelter, Nikki and her family enjoy riding the backcountry of Montana and training their birddogs.
Operations Director
Elizabeth Nutzman
A native to Twin Bridges, MT, Elizabeth has strong ties to the Beaverhead and Madison County regions. Her family has been sheltering animals in need for decades, and she’s eager to share her “tricks of the trade” for the benefit of the animals in our care. Elizabeth is not one to back down from a challenge, and you’ll often find her knee-deep in a project that needs a creative solution. She prides herself in community involvement and welcomes guests to come alongside her in efforts to make a difference for the animals of SW Montana.
