Missoula Shelter Ordinance

Missoula City-County Animal Control wants to remind residents that as the colder fall weather approaches, pets who live outside must have proper shelter. The ordinance is provided below for reference. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Animal Control at (406) 541-7387 or stop by their facility, located at 6700 Butler Creek Road.

“Shelter/Dog House” means a structure that is moisture proof and windproof of suitable size to accommodate the dog and allow retention of body heat.  It shall be made of durable material with a solid, moisture proof floor or a floor raised at least two inches from the ground. Between November 1 and March 31 the structure must have a windbreak at the entrance.  The structure shall be provided with a sufficient quantity of suitable bedding material consisting of hay, straw, shavings, blankets, or the equivalent, to provide insulation and protection against the cold and dampness and promote retention of body heat."

Sampson wants a warm home this fall and winter. 

Meet Animal Control's Nikki Wood & Sonney White

Missoula City-County Animal Control Shelter Attendant Nikki Wood (left) and Officer Sonney White (right).

The Missoula Animal Control organizational structure can be narrowed into three distinct functions: Shelter Attendants, Officers and Volunteers. Shelter Attendants are those who work at the front desk, help the public obtain dog licenses, answer questions about animals, dispatch officers, plan events and organize outreach efforts. They also, and very importantly, form relationships with the animals at the shelter by learning behaviors and assessing their physical, emotional and medical needs. Officers, on the other hand, are out in the field to investigate cases of neglect and abuse. They are more of Animal Control’s law enforcement agency. Both, however, have the same goal in mind; to either reunite lost animals with their home or to find them a new loving family.

Nikki Wood is one of Animal Control’s Shelter Attendants who has worked with animals throughout her 15 year career. Nikki has a degree in Professional Zoo Keeping and worked at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in Fresno, California in the mammals division. There she cared for all types of animals, ranging from lemurs, sea lions, wolves, tigers, bears to ant eaters. Nikki loved her time and experiences in California, but  having grown up in Helena,  decided to leave the zoo and come back to Montana to be near her family and friends a few years ago.  Shortly after returning to the Missoula area, Nikki applied for her position with Animal Control and has been happily serving our community ever since.

Having worked with animals for so many years, Nikki has a true passion for her profession.

Nikki Wood and Lebowski. 

“We genuinely care about the animals here. Everything we do is for them, whether it’s fundraising or working with those who have very poor social skills to help them find homes,” Nikki said.

There are many things Nikki enjoys about her work, including her coworkers and interacting with the public, but most of all Nikki says the best part of her job is being able to build trust with an animal so that she can then help find the perfect home.  Similarly, it can be challenging when animals are very aggressive and hard to care for. But once that relationship is built, Nikki says, there is nothing more rewarding.

Animal Control Officer, Sonney White, agrees that nothing is more gratifying in his job than when he is able to help an animal find his/her home. Sonney is a recent addition to the Animal Control office, having spent 11 months in his current position. Before working at Animal Control, Sonney served the Granite County Sheriff’s Office for more than 30 years. During this time, Sonney was the Search and Rescue coordinator, a DARE officer and served six years as Undersheriff. Throughout this tenure, Sonney often worked on Animal Control issues, including licensing, abuse cases and locating strays.

“I retired three years ago from the Granite County Sheriff’s Office so that my wife and I could move into our beautiful home in Stevensville,” Sonney said. “I was working part time as a University of Montana campus officer a year ago and saw that this position with Animal Control was available. I knew Jeff [Darrah, Animal Control’s Director] and thought it would be a good opportunity. I like it here very much.”

Sonney White with his Animal Control Officer vehicle. 

In his role, Sonney patrols parks and other County spaces to ensure owners are compliant with city and county ordinances. Sonney also is in the field investigating cases of neglect and abuse.

“It can be a hard job but it’s all worth it when you know you helped someone find a good home,” Sonney said.

Sonney enjoys helping lost animals find their home or helping them find a home by keeping them safe. Sometimes, Sonney says, it can be very challenging for officers to help educate the public as to why they need to license their dogs and why it is important.

“People sometimes don’t realize that by licensing your dog you are helping to keep your animal safe in case they get lost or if we need to monitor rabies,” Sonney said.

Although their roles may vary, Missoula’s Animal Control staff care very much about the work they do for our community.  If you’re interested in learning more about Animal Control, please visit their website.

Commissioner Curtiss' Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony Speech

September 11, 2015, Missoula County Courthouse Lawn, Remembrance Ceremony, Jean Curtiss

Good Afternoon

We are joined here today to remember and honor those who died on September 11, 2001.

·         Those in planes

·         Those in the World Trade Towers

·         Those in the Pentagon

·         Those who responded- including firefighters and people on the street

This blue spruce tree was planted by the Missoula County Employee Council on October 11, 2001 in remembrance and honor of the tragedies on September 11^th.  It is a nice memorial.

I have read the poem titled “One” by Sheryl Sawyer at previous remembrances of this tragic day. It is a powerful poem about how the attacks on September 11, 2001 pulled our nation together.  It ends with ‘We are the Power of One. We are United. We are America.’

We must be cautious not to become One and let fear and prejudice shape our perceptions, opinions and actions.  I think we all came to realize we were more vulnerable than we believed. Our feeling of safety in our own land was violated.  It was easy to get sucked up into the ‘you will get your just due’ whoever you are who attacked us. The United States was quick to engage in a ‘war against terrorism’. We felt justified and called upon to do so.   We sent men and women to war, called them patriots, but did not provide for their safety with adequate armoring of vehicles and vests etc. And we surely have not provided adequately for their return.  Organizations and individuals are always out raising money to provide for returning veterans from this war and previous wars. 22 Veterans take their own life every day. We have to continue to work on this issue.  OK, maybe that should be my Veteran’s Day speech.

Today I would like us to step back and focus on where that attitude of justification can take us, unintentionally. There is a danger of painting all people we associate with the Middle East with the same brush as those responsible for the events of that day. – That brush is colored with fear and hate.  

I found a few quotes I would like to share:

‘There was never a good war or a bad peace.’  Ben Franklin

 ‘There can be no greater motive for evil than a sense of justice.’  Bill Ward

‘The act of war is the last option of a democracy.’  Joseph Wilson, New York Times, July-6-2003

 ‘War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.’ President Jimmy Carter, Nobel lecture, December-10-2002

So let’s not allow what brought us together and made us One destroy what America is about.  Many have become fearful, suspicious, mistrustful, hateful, accusatory, hypocritical of religious freedom (if it is not the same religion as theirs), and confused about freedom vs rights.

As we go forward from this day, let us go with empathy and compassion and seek to understand. Let us look the person who is struggling with addiction and homelessness in the eye. Let us understand that the veteran who cannot hold a job right now and is self-medicating with alcohol has seen Hell and came home to find we don’t provide the supportive services he or she needs to survive.

September 11, 2001 was a tragic day in our history.  But so was:

 April 19, 1995 (Oklahoma City, 168 dead -19 in a day care; 100’s injured);

April 20, 1999 (Columbine High School, 13 dead; 20+ injured);

August 29, 2005 (Hurricane Katrina, 1833 dead, millions homeless);

April 16, 2007 (Virginia Tech, 32 dead, 17 wounded);

July 20, 2012 (Movie Theater in Aurora, CO, 12 dead, 70 injured);

October 29, 2012 (Hurricane Sandy, 149 dead-7 states and 3 countries);

December 14, 2012 (Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown, CT, 20 kids, 6 adults and his Mom);

May 6, 2015 (on Brooks Street in Missoula, MT 3 dead, 5 children lost one or both parents);

June 17, 2015  (Charleston, So. Carolina in a church prayer meeting, 9 dead) – Just to name a few.

As the world, currently, watches the giant exodus of people from Syria and other countries who have been engaged in war for a long time, there are those who have responded with fear of inviting the refugees into other countries, including ours.  It is less personal to focus on fighting terrorists, who are like the faces on wanted posters than on the little brothers who washed ashore because their boat capsized. I remember hearing once that we have no idea how hard life is in some of these countries until we think about what it must take for a parent to put their child at risk by placing them in that boat knowing they may not make it to the other shore. 

So let’s call this our Tree of Hope and use it to remind us that people all around us are facing a crisis.  It may not be in the news for weeks. It may not be in the news at all but it is still a crisis for them.  So we remember those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones on September 11^th. But, as you add a ribbon to the tree today, I ask you to also think about honoring someone going through a crisis today.  Maybe you know them, maybe you don’t but let’s honor them, too.

Let us be Powerful. Let us be United. Let us be America. And let us make a difference in people’s lives.

Go and show compassion and spread Hope. I wish you Peace.

Clerk of District Court, Shirley Faust, singing the National Anthem 

Commissioner Jean Curtiss and Senator Tester's Representative Deborah Fransden. 

Staff and members of the public placing remembrance ribbons on the Blue Spruce in front of the Courthouse. 

Dogs Off Leash Ordinance

With the beginning of September comes the beginning of a new academic year. Fall is a wonderful time to go enjoy the cooler weather with your pets. It is also during this time that Missoula Animal Control sees an influx of dogs on campus, which is not a leash free area. Many students have dogs (how can we blame them!) and we would like to remind everyone of the rules.

If you’re taking your dog for a walk on the University of Montana’s campus, remember that they must be on leash, even when hiking Mount Sentinel to the M. While in class, or for any other reason, dogs cannot be tied up and left unattended anywhere on campus.

As a reminder, all dogs within Missoula County must be licensed. Students who may be attending the University from out of state but who own a dog should know that their dog is considered a Missoula resident and must be licensed within Missoula County.

All licenses can be obtained at the Missoula Animal Control facility, located at 6700 Butler Creek Road, or at the Missoula County Motor Vehicle/Treasurer’s Office within the Courthouse.

Ordinance text is copied below. Please don’t hesitate to let our shelter attendants know if you have any questions!

6.07.600  Dogs at large or off leash. 

A.  It is unlawful for the owner, custodian or keeper of a dog to knowingly, purposely or by neglect allow the dog to be at large or off leash unless:

1.     the dog is located in a vehicle with the permission of the vehicle’s owner. 

2.     the dog is actually participating in dog shows or instructional dog obedience training classes. A dog may be temporarily off of a leash for these purposes as long as the dog’s owner or custodian is personally present and able to effectively control the dog at all times. 

3.     Any dog under actual voice restraint in a Designated Voice Restraint Area, subject to the conditions established in 6.07.618, shall not be deemed off leash or at large.

B.  Tying a dog to an object such as a light pole, parking meter, bicycle rack, tree, or other object, etc. while the dog is on public property, or on private property without the permission of the property owner or occupant and leaving the dog unattended is considered to be a dog at large and is a violation of this section.

C.  An animal control officer may return a licensed dog to the custody of its owner in lieu of impoundment; however all at large dogs are subject to immediate impoundment.

(Ord. 3472, 2011)

6.07.605  Leash length.  An owner, keeper, or custodian of a dog must maintain a dog on a leash with no more than 6 feet of the leash’s length being utilized with the following exceptions:

A.  a retractable leash extending a maximum of sixteen (16) feet is allowed in open areas away from streets, alleys, or sidewalks.  

B.  an obedience trained dog shall be allowed to participate in obedience training, field trials, dog shows or competition.

An owner, keeper or custodian violates this section if the length of the leash violates the provisions specified herein.

(Ord. 3472, 2011)