The UW Northern Tier Shelter Fellowship Program was created to provide shelter leadership staff with additional training to help them deliver life-saving knowledge and services to our nation’s communities and animals in need of care. This program is modeled after the highly successful Maddie’s UW/UCD Shelter Medicine Veterinary Fellowship for shelter veterinarians. Up to two staff in leadership roles per shelter are invited to participate.
The UW Northern Tier Shelter Fellowship provides unique opportunities for shelters in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to learn via interaction with the University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program team and a variety of animal shelters from the Northern Tier region. In addition, fellows may have opportunities to interact with other academic and clinical programs, including other university shelter medicine programs as well as national animal welfare organizations.
The fellows put their new skills to work in their own shelter, directly benefiting shelter animals and communities. Additionally, the Shelter Medicine Program benefits from the infusion of practical experience brought by the Shelter Fellows. Many fellows continue on with the program as alums and mentors while working in or with shelters for years to come, greatly magnifying the impact of this investment in their training.
Keep on eye on our website News Updates and Facebook page where we will announce when we are accepting applications for the upcoming fellowship year. The 2026-27 fellowship year will start in spring 2026, and the application process will open in winter. Applicants must be leadership staff working in shelters in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, or Wisconsin. One application per shelter accepted, with up to 2 staff participating. Recommended staff are shelter directors or managers along with another key staff member. Shelters will be selected but individuals participating should be listed on the application with one applicant as the primary fellow.
2024-2025 Northern Tier Fellowship Shelters
Flathead County Animal Shelter
The Flathead County Animal Shelter is in Kalispell, Montana, and serves a county over 5,000 square miles. The shelter had 961 dogs and 452 cats come through its doors in 2023 and has been able to maintain both a high live release rate and a relatively low length of stay. Along with handling all the stray dogs for the county, the shelter does adoptions, microchipping, and offers a free TNR program to the public. The highlight of the shelter is the medical wing where a contracted veterinarian is on site twice a week.
Austin Hicks became the Division Manager at the Flathead County Animal Shelter in March of 2023. This was a brand-new career field for him, but he came into it with 17 years of working in the public sector. He has always had a love for animals and worked with wild animals at a family business throughout his life. Austin was eager to learn all that he could about leading an animal shelter which is why he was excited to take part in the Northern Tier Fellowship Program. Originally from Missouri, in 2021 he moved 1500 miles with his wife, two daughters, and Leia Luann (his Catahoula Leopard Dog) to the mountains of northwest Montana. Outside of work, he spends his time doing all the outdoor activities the area has to offer with his family.
Iowa County Humane Society
Iowa County Humane Society in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, was formed in 1998 and became an incorporated business in 2000 and 501c(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization in 2001. In their years of service to the communities in Iowa County and surrounding areas, ICHS has found homes for nearly 10,000 animals. Each year, around 400 animals find their way through the shelter’s doors. ICHS was founded on the principle of maintaining a “no-kill” philosophy towards animal sheltering. The shelter is dedicated to making our communities more humane places for all animals by providing shelter and care to animals in need, helping our communities discover and nurture the human-animal bond through education, being a voice for those who have none through animal welfare advocacy, and working towards a world where every animal has a loving home through progressive and innovative programs. The shelter team believes that all animals deserve a chance for a loving home for life.
Hannah Guenther graduated from UW-Platteville in 2022 with a bachelors in animal science. During this time, she worked as a vet assistant at a small animal clinic. After graduation, she decided to take a leap into the shelter medicine world. She currently is working at Iowa County Humane Society as the Kennel Manager. She is currently receiving her masters degree in shelter medicine through the University of Florida. Hannah enjoys fostering special needs kittens and spending time with her family.
Shawano County Humane Society
Shawano County Humane Society in Shawano, Wisconsin, is dedicated to providing humane treatment and care to animals needing protection, returning lost pets to their owners, providing humane education to the public, and placing unwanted pets in responsible, loving homes. It is a non-profit organization, operating on donations and fund-raisers, and is unyieldingly committed to the compassionate care and protection of animals. The shelter team’s ultimate goal is to secure loving homes for every pet in need, ensuring the city thrives with compassionate pet ownership.
Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter
Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter is located in Eureka, Montana. They are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that was established on January 1, 2008. They leased the decades old dilapidated animal shelter near the river walk from the county for 2 years and then in 2010 were able to build a new facility north of town where they are currently located. They are proud to say that they have had over 10,000 pets through their shelter doors since that time, as well as provided thousands of pounds of pet food to community pets and facilitated over 5,000 spay/neuter surgeries for the owned pets of Lincoln County residents. They are truly living their Mission Statement of “Improving the lives of pets and people in Lincoln County and beyond.”
Wendy Anderson has been the Executive Director of Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter since its inception in 2008. With a lifelong passion for animals, she brought invaluable experience as both a dog trainer and a former Animal Control Officer, where she served for nine years. Under her leadership, the shelter has become a cornerstone of animal welfare in the community, thanks to her dedication and vision. Wendy’s expertise and commitment have played a crucial role in transforming the shelter into a resource that not only provides care for animals in need but also offers vital services to pet owners. Wendy and her team have successfully initiated a variety of impactful programs that address the needs of both animals and the local community. These include monthly spay/neuter clinics, a community pet food pantry, and a behavior hotline designed to assist pet owners in managing their pets more effectively. Additionally, the shelter’s involvement in community education programs, trap-neuter-release (TNR) outreach, and comprehensive volunteer and foster programs has made a lasting difference. Through these efforts, thousands of animals have been adopted into loving homes, making Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter a beacon of hope for both pets and people.
Previous NT fellowship shelters:
2023 Northern Tier Fellowship Shelters
Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County
Humane Society of Jefferson County
Humane Society of the Lakes
Mat-Su Borough Animal Care and Regulation
Missoula City-County Animal Control
Stafford Animal Shelter
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter
2022 Northern Tier Fellowship Shelters
Butte Silver Bow Animal Shelter
Driftless Humane Society
Fairbanks North Star Borough Animal Control
Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter
Lewis Clark Animal Shelter
Seattle Humane
Washington County Humane Society
2020-2021 Northern Tier Fellowship Shelters
Adams County Humane Society
Alaska SPCA Adoption Center
Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin
Idaho Falls Animal Shelter
Mountain Humane
Snake River Animal Shelter
Whitman County Humane Society
2019-2020 Northern Tier Fellowship Shelters
Auburn Valley Humane Society
Blue Mountain Humane Society
Homeward Pet Adoption Center
Idaho Humane Society
Mountain Humane
Watertown Humane Society
Wisconsin Humane Society
2018-2019 Northern Tier Fellowship Shelters
Flathead County Animal Shelter
Humane Society of Western Montana
Regional Animal Services of King County
Seattle Humane
Stafford Animal Shelter