FORT BENTON — The Dedman Foundation Animal Shelter in Fort Benton might be a small animal rescue in Central Montana, but their efforts resulted in something big, as they were recently presented a $5,000 check from Mutts Across America, along with a certificate signed by country singer Miranda Lambert naming them as a "Top Shelter in the USA."
Benjamin Pullen, who serves as the kennel manager for the shelter, explained how they received the award.
"We got an email saying we were selected for Montana, for this grant award for 2023, and we were pretty surprised," he said. "We were very thrilled to say the least. It was during a board meeting when our bookkeeper bought the mail to us. We saw the mail and the email, and it was pretty awesome because not a lot of good things happen in life for people, and it's always nice when something good comes along."
The award was made possible by Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Foundation and Tractor Supply. The country star founded MuttNation Foundation in 2009 alongside her mother Bev Lambert to ensure that as many dogs as possible would have a safe and happy place to call home.
Each year, Mutts Across America selects 52 shelters across the nation - one in each state, plus Washington D.C. and an additional "wildcard" selection.
The Dedman Foundation is a non-profit animal rescue that has been in business for over 25 years with the goal of bringing people and adoptable animals together.
Daphne Worrall has worked alongside the animal shelter, mostly helping out with fostering. Her family recently adopted a kitten who, at the time, had just got out of surgery.
"My kids were really excited that we'd be fostering a kitten, but when I picked her up and saw her face, my heart sank, and I was worried the kids would be afraid of her because of the condition of her face."
The kitten's eyes were taken out due to an infection.
Daphne said, "There was a hematoma that was the size of a golf ball ... If she had stayed one more night in the metal cage, she probably wouldn't have survived."
When bringing her home, Daphne said the kids instantly fell in love with her.
"They weren't afraid of her face," she said. "They just showered her with love, and I think that love is really what helped her survive those first few days ... Once she was ready for adoption, we decided we weren't ready to let her go."
Eventually naming her Sunshine, Daphne said it was her kids' idea, as a way to "fight the darkness."
"She's absolutely been a blessing to our family and teaches us everyday how you can overcome anything."
The Dedman is currently undergoing a makeover, making additions to both the interior and exterior parts of the building. Benjamin says one of his goals is to get the community more involved and interact with animals, even if they are unable to adopt.
"We're trying to really show the community what we're made of," he said. "It was nice to see our efforts rewarded, but we were definitely not expecting it because we're doing a lot of work and we had a long way to go."
Benjamin added that the shelter has already seen an increase in donations, noting that it goes a long way for helping animals in need and encouraging more people to get involved.
Click here to learn more about the MuttNation Foundation.
Click here to visit the Dedman Foundation website.
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