About

Quailwings Rescue is a 100% volunteer group in Cut Bank, Montana, United States of America that works from foster homes providing care and safe harbor for neglected animals. Our rescue promotes the humane treatment of animals and fosters respect, understanding and compassion for all creatures. Quailwings Rescue does not have a facility. We find that providing that care in a foster home, rather than a kennel works best for our rescues.

Mission Statement:

Quailwings Rescue shall promote the humane treatment of animals and foster respect, understanding and compassion for all creatures. We provide care and safe harbor for animals afflicted by neglect, abandonment and abuse. We will strive relentlessly to eradicate neglect, abandonment and abuse. We work to reunite lost or found animals with their owners. We are dedicated to lowering the numbers of animals needlessly destroyed due to overpopulation by promoting the spaying and neutering of ALL companion animals. We will endeavor relentlessly to enhance the bond between humans and animals through adoption, education and services for responsible, compassionate pet ownership.

Goals:

Helping the homeless and neglected animals of this community is number one on our list. Our animals and the community need this service. We work tirelessly to make this the best community for animals and humans alike. We cannot do this alone and need the help of kind, caring people. Help us to write happy endings to our adorable adoptables.

Most of our animals were surrendered because their caretakers were moving, divorced, developed allergies or died. Let your imagination go and share your life with a wonderful four-footed friend simply by opening your heart and your home. Knowing that you have kept that animal from being euthanized, which is sadly the reality of life in any shelter situation. It is the new family's job to provide attention, love and safe housing.

Are you ready to be help save a life? Become a foster with Quailwings Rescue.

Times have been tough. Tragically, with tough times come a lot of abandoned dogs and cats. Animal rescues across the country are limited by several things, but caring fosters are needed now more than ever. Quailwings Rescue of Cut Bank has been saving animals throughout Montana for years and foster are in short supply.

Quailwings Rescue is an almost completely foster based animal rescue located in Cut Bank; however, it services a significant portion of Montana, and are willing to cater to adopters throughout the country. Quailwings opened in response to the gap of this service created when the Cut Bank Animal Shelter closed its doors in May of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past two and a half years, Quailwings has helped save 1046 animals, a number mostly comprised of dogs and cats, but also includes chickens, goats, hamsters, parakeets, rabbits, raccoons, and rats.

Tina Gauthier has been the Executive Director of the Quailwings Rescue non-profit since it first opened on June 10, 2020, but has been actively involved in animal rescue her entire life. After the Cut Bank Animal Shelter closed, “the need was still there and the animals just kept coming in.” Tina saw the need and started piecing together what would become the Quailwings Rescue. Together with a small foster network ranging in location from East Glacier to Great Falls, Tina and her team will support and find homes for approximately 100 animals each and every month.

“Many of the animals are pulled off the street, but even more are sadly owner surrenders or just abandoned.” A sad truth for rescues during these trying time. With pet owners unable to support their animals and not knowing what else to do, abandoned animals have been turning up in animal friendly pet supply stores across the country. Generally, pet supply stores are aware of local area rescues and will reach out appropriately. However, the far worse situation is when animals are put out into the cold of Norther Montana and left to fend for themselves. Frequently, this ends with suffering and ultimately death. The lucky ones are found and either adopted or turned over to a rescue.

The challenge that Quailwings is primarily struggling with is foster availability. The Quailwings foster team only consists of about a dozen people in a half dozen smaller towns between East Glacier and Great Falls. Unfortunately, this foster network is completely full. “Its heart breaking, I had to turn away 31 puppies just last week. We just don’t have the room.” Tina was saddened by this, but its a harsh truth that has to be dealt with all too frequently in animal rescue. “Right now there are 23 puppies and 25 kittens in the rescue that all need foster homes. The rescue could help more if people were willing to open their homes as foster.”

Fosters care for the animals daily, providing socialization and safe environment for the animal until they are ready to be adopted. Meanwhile, the rescue covers all food and medical costs associate.

In addition to finding new homes for pets, over the years, the rescue has also managed to return 275 lost dogs and cats to their owners.

We spoke with a kitten foster with Quailwings who provided some insight on what its like to be a foster. “Helping animals when they need help and seeing them get a new home, its all very rewarding. Plus, we always have kittens around the house which is really fun.”

“Depending on the situation, it can be difficult if you have sick animals, or bottle babies.” Bottle babies are kittens or puppies that are too young to eat on their own and need to be bottle fed. Ideally, kittens or puppies would remain with their mother through these first few weeks of life. “Its still great to have animals around the house. There are challenges, thought. When you have to give them medications or when they eventually find a home. Its hard to let them go but its also happy at the same time.”

Currently, Quailwings maintains spending on a month to month basis, but their biggest need is volunteer support. From fosters, to people who are just willing to store supplies, to donations there are many ways to help.

If you are interested in volunteering with Quailwings Rescue, you can reach Tina at through her email at quailwingsrescue@hotmail.com. If you are interested in becoming a foster, Quailwings will provide all food and medical support for their foster animals.

A donations link can be found on the @QuailwingsRescue Facebook page.

If you are potentially interested in adopting a new pet, a list of all available animals are on the Quailwings website www.quailwingsrescue.com.

Even if you are an animal owner and are not interested in adopting or volunteering, Quailwings Rescue posts lost and found animals regularly on their facebook page @QuailwingsRescue.

In a world of so many displaced, abandoned and neglected pets, thank goodness for the amazing rescue centers that can be found all over the country, including Cut Bank’s Quailwings Rescue.
Founder, Director and Vice President of the 501(c)3 organization is Tina Gauthier. “We were created officially on June 12, 2020, with the IRS and the State of Montana,” said Gauthier. Up to that point, Gauthier had been “unofficially” helping place animals since 2004.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, many shelters around the country had to close their doors for a time or offer controlled access. Even some veterinarians had to shut down or offer limited services for a few months in 2020.
With the inability to get animals to shelters as easily as before, more homeless animals began to surface. That’s when Gauthier decided to make Quailwings an official rescue and transportation site in northern Montana.
All the work done for Quailwings is done through telephone calls, email or postings on Facebook and Gauthier is responsible for all of it.
“We do not have a facility,” she confirmed. “What we do have are foster homes, which are the backbone of the rescue. Those people donate countless hours of love and commitment to each animal temporarily placed in their care.”
When Gauthier hears about an abandoned animal or is called about one that the family can no longer keep, a number of steps are performed. First, if it is a lost pet, they will check collars, tags and see if a microchip has been embedded in it.
“We scan all the animals entering our rescue for microchips, so that no pet loses its family,” she said. “Micro-chipping your pet can save their lives and your heartaches.”
Once the animal is put into the Quailwings system, Gauthier goes to work posting information about the animal on Facebook, telling what they know about the dog or cat, adding some photos or videos too. They are then listed as “Available for Adoption.”
That same animal is also posted on several other rescue sites like Rescue Me, Petfinder, Adopt-A-Pet and Rescue Groups.
If you find a pet on any of these sites, getting it to you for its forever home is not as easy as just calling and saying, “we want that one.” All the necessary steps are performed to protect the animal and ensure it is going to a quality home.
“Adoptions are done by online applications per the website or by email and each requires three references,” she offered.
A vet reference should also be included and there may be a home visit, Quailwings feels that is necessary. However, Gauthier said with COVID being a reality, photos may be taken of the property where the pet will live and those should be sent in with the application.
Gauthier coordinates the adoption, once all the paperwork is done and the animal has received necessary medical care and vaccinations. Then she confirms where the family can pick up their newly adopted "child."
The website is updated as often as necessary, but always when new information is made available about an animal. "Some people want to follow the animals, even if they never adopt one. They follow their stories and the photos," said Gauthier.
Since it has been an official rescue site, Quailwings has received 617 animals. Of that number, 152 were lost and have been returned to their homes and 395 have been adopted. If you take out the number of lost animals, that makes 465 animals at their rescue site and Quailwings had adopted out 395 of them. That is a very impressive number of animals going to their forever homes.
Quailwings and/or Gauthier, coordinate transportation of animals brought to them, should they need to be moved from one foster to another.
Gauthier also coordinates where the animal goes once it comes into their program, meaning she finds a foster home that will take it until real placement home can be found.
"We currently have foster homes in Glacier, Hill, Liberty, Pondera and Toole counties. As of today, we have 14 foster homes and are in need of more foster homes," she shared.
There are a few methods you can use to contact Quailwings, either to relinquish a pet you can no longer care for or list an abandoned, neglected or lost pet.
First, you can call them or text them at 406-229-1042. that number is answered Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If no response, leave a message.
You can also reach them by email at quailwingsrescue@hotmail.com or by using their website at https://www.quailwingsrescue.com or their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/QuailwingsRescue.
Feel free to contact Gauthier if you are interested in offering a donation to help them continue all the amazing work they do.
Gauthier's job with Quailwings can be tedious, paperwork intensive (but so necessary), rewarding, sad at times and yet, it is something she absolutely loves!
"What is not to love" We promote the humane treatment of animals while foster respect, understanding and compassion for all creatures. We provide care and safe harbor for the animals. We reunite lost animal with their owners. We are dedicated to lowering the number of animals destroyed due to overpopulation. We love enhancing the bond between humans and animals through adoption, education and services."
When put that way, what is not to love about Quailwings!
To read the complete article, pick up a copy of this week’s issue or subscribe to the Cut Bank Pioneer Press, Shelby Promoter, Browning Glacier Reporter and The Valierian newspapers at http://www.cutbankpioneerpress.com/site/services/

Tina Gauthier is taking an active role in expanding Quailwings Rescue, as she did with Cut Bank Animal Shelter capabilities to adopt animals. Quailwings Rescue's websites, http://www.montanapets.com/cas/ and http://www.facebook.com/QuailwingsRescue, have listings of pets available at the rescue, descriptions of pets wanted and lost pets. These sites give statewide and national coverage and helps match pets and potential new owners. To post on these website, send Tina an email at quailwingsrescue@hotmail.com.

Tina will then list it online. The more people we reach, the better the success rate at Quailwings Rescue. These are just little heroes waiting for a permanent, loving home. This rescue is all about the unsung heroes.

Tina answers phone calls and emails throughout the day and into the evenings at the after hours phone number. She has knowledge of all of the animals in the rescue and keeps logs and stats on each animal. Nothing gives her greater pleasure than adopting a pet into loving homes.

Joe Gauthier is not a stranger to the Cut Bank community by any means. He served on the Cut Bank Police force for 30 years, and upon retiring, he worked at Crossroads Correctional (CCA) in Shelby for five years. Joe is now back serving Cut Bank as the animal control officer and enforcing city ordinances.

Gauthier was a part of the police force in the 1960s when the animal control method was quarantine. "Every six months the city went under quarantine, and we would pick up the stray dogs. The city felt it wasn't enough," he said. The community decided to enact city ordinances allowing Gauthier and other city officers to more strictly control the flow of animals.

Joe is making improvements for the Cut Bank Animal Shelter and Quailwings Rescue with the way animals are handled. Gauthier and Tina worked to model the shelter after the Great Falls Animal Shelter. They each take turns walking the dogs at the shelter and through their interaction they are able to determine the animal's personality. In addition, Gauthier is working on obedience training with the dogs. By taking the regular shelter activities a step further, it is easier for them to adopt their animals out.

ODE TO TINA AND JOE
Once upon a time, in a place not so far away,
Lived a lovely couple who brighten up each day.
A teacher is her trade and he is a cop,
They have a son named Joseph to call them mom and pop.
But their lives reach so much deeper, the world they work to change,
The animals all need their help from the alley to the range.
They’ve touched so many lives and softened hardened hearts,
One critter at a time, they’re helping ‘cuz they’re ever so smart.
They talk to people until at last they understand,
These critters need a home not thrown to the land.
They show the people how to train and make the dog be good,
So they can keep them in their home and love them like they should.
Sometimes the task can get you down and make you want to quit,
But they keep on fighting for the weak; they use up every wit.
The money is always tight and the animals get sick,
So they walk the dogs to get some cash the animals to fix.
Sometimes they get so weary, but still they come and work,
At clinics in the state, they never seem to shirk.
So much of them they always give and sometimes feel alone.
Joe’s many hours in his truck and Tina from their home.
They are great friends, nicer people you could never hope to meet,
There’s a place in my heart for them that is fuzzy and oh so sweet.
Christmas is upon us and a gift I want to give,
Something that will tell them it made a difference that they live.
My brain I vainly cudgeled, but no idea could I find,
I stayed up late thinking; I fear I’ll lose my mind.
An idea popped into my head, but then it fell apart,
Then another, didn’t work, I feel I’m loosing heart.
So I will have to send a check, that makes me feel so sad,
And tell you what to do, to make it work – egad!
I only write these verses and spiel a little prose,
For people that I truly love, it’s written just for those.
Penney Bergren 2007