Arlee High School students learned audio reporting basics during a Montana Media Lab Youth Voices workshop. Using their new journalism skills, they produced a news story about an effort to rehabilitate animals in their community. That story aired on Montana Public Radio. Listen and read their work below.
A dog sanctuary on the Flathead Indian Reservation is healing animals and fighting stereotypes
A sanctuary for dogs on the Flathead Indian Reservation is trying to heal animals and people. The organization has distributed thousands of pounds of pet food to low-income families, and recently paid for about $80,000 in vet bills for rescue dogs and pet owners who needed assistance. Arlee High School students worked with the Montana Media Lab to report on the efforts to push back against the stereotype of neglected rez dogs. Student Joseph Romas brings us their report.
Jamie Rice fostered a dog named Biscuit through the Arlee Rehabilitation Center
“My daughter saw something on a Facebook post or whatever, in dire need — this animal that was going to lose its life if I didn’t help out,” Rice says
The Arlee Rehabilitation Center, or ARC is a new animal shelter on the Flathead Indian Reservation focused on community wellness rather than just rehoming pets.
“And then literally within 12 hours I had a dog sitting on my steps. And they brought dog food, cages, I mean, they set me up with everything. I mean, they definitely try to set you up for success with, I didn’t have, like, any expense, so to say, to take in this dog. So, it was a happy ending for Biscuit and everybody.”
ARC started its work back in 2021. Its director and founder is Filip Panusz.
Panusz says, “The mission is to serve the Flathead Indian Reservation by providing a sanctuary where animals heal people and people heal animals.”
He noticed a problem with the animal rescue field.
“What I really was lacking was an approach that actually focused on community and the struggle that people were facing. And an approach that welcomed the community to work together to address challenges.”
He sees ARC’s work as a pushing back against the stereotype of neglected rez dogs.
“It didn’t seem true to me when I heard people say, ‘Oh, those Indigenous people on the reservation, they don’t give a damn about those rez dogs, they don’t care if they suffer. They don’t care.’ People here love their animals. The problem is they don’t always have the conditions to be able to take care of their animals.”
He said that’s why he decided ARC would be different from other animal rescue organizations.
“If we can find ways to rehabilitate pets, or dogs, and get them in homes where they’re safe and they’re having good lives, that’s critical, right?”
State Sen. Shane Morigeau, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, also serves on ARC’s board. He says that the organization addresses problems he’s witnessed during his childhood on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
“I grew up in Pablo,” Morigeau says, “So, seeing a lot of strays running around town, you know, what ends up happening is, sometimes people just can’t, they don’t have the resources to care for them, right? So having an organization that can help with those sorts of things is really important for the community. And so, if we can find ways to rehabilitate pets, or dogs and get them in homes where they’re safe and they’re having good lives, that’s critical, right?”
Myrna DuMontier says she witnessed animals helping people at ARC’s youth summer camps. She is also the president of ARC’s board.
“We call them our healing camps,” she says.
At those camps, children learned about animal care and to participate in animal assisted therapy.
DuMontier says that these camps have had a huge impact on our youth and ARC as a whole organization.
“Kids may have experienced trauma as well find that peaceful, safe place with animals. So, that’s been a really graceful and peaceful experience to watch and be a part of.”
DuMontier says ARC’s work aligns with her Salish cultural beliefs of caring for animals, walking or flying.
“It’s just a part of our value system and belief system to include all living things and to hold them with high regard and respect and to do what we can to help them or find solutions to problems altogether,” DuMontier says.
Again, Filip Panusz.
“We’re not an organization that is going to heal everybody and make the world a happy place. But I think we are an organization that can move us realistically within a realistic amount of time, to a place where there’s less trauma.”
This story was made by Arlee High School students during a workshop with the Montana Media Lab at the University of Montana School of Journalism. Along with the author, Joseph Romas, students Leah Mesteth, Nizho’ni’ Haynes, Dallas Swab, Ben Harlow, Joaquin Santos, Adalyn Jacobson, and Jace Arca worked on the story also. We would just like to thank the Arlee High School teachers, Jennifer Jilot and Tyler Delaney for hosting us and thank you Mansfield Center for help supporting this project.