Carrie Hunt, Director of Wind River Tails and Trails, truly communicates on a unique level with all animals. For 40 plus years, Carrie has trained dogs, Service Dogs, horses, marine mammals, bears and other wildlife. Due to her love of animals, Carrie pursued and received her B.S. in zoology at Montana State University and a M.S. in wildlife biology at the University of Montana. With her natural skills and specialized education, Carrie founded and developed the Wind River Bear Institute and its Programs: the Partners-In-Life Program and Wind River Karelian Bear Dogs. Carrie proceeded to identify and develop the use of and training methods for Karelian Bear Dogs as Wildlife Service Dogs in bear and wildlife conservation and management through the Program, for wildlife managers and private groups and individuals worldwide. She was the first to try actually TEACHING bears to avoid conflicts with humans and in doing this developed the well known “Bear Spray” used all over the world to turn charging bears. She was also the first to try rubber bullets on bears, and developed the concept of “Bear Shepherding”- the first ever, safe and effective way to teach wildlife, and in this case , bears, to avoid conflicts with humans. Carrie was the first to pair human voice commands- just as you would a dog’s command, with the use of rubber bullets and teams of specially trained dogs to teach bears boundary awareness and to avoid human inhabited sites. Carrie now uses her vast knowledge, training and experience understanding animal behavior and generously applies it to the lucky dogs who find their way to Wind River Tails and Trails, where she is fondly known by her “pack” as “Auntie Carrie”.

1. Renee Van Camp, Kennel Manager of Wind River Tails and Trails, has found her true passion working with dogs. Renee uses the knowledge she gained from a business and non-profit background, with a B.A. in journalism, to adeptly manage the Wind River Tails and Trails facility and its entire “pack”. Communicating with dogs, clients, volunteers, staff, the general public, and the media, sometimes all at once, is her specialty. Renee has received an extensive hands-on education in animal and specifically canine behavior while working with Carrie Hunt and the Wind River Bear Institute and Karelian Bear Dogs. Renee is responsible for the care, training, and maintenance of every dog in the Wind River Tails and Trails “pack”. Renee also manages the volunteer program which gives many talented individuals a great opportunity to learn about dog behavior and care; as well as becoming wildlife stewards with the Wind River Bear Institute’s Wildlife Service Dogs.
   

1. Kahla Louthan, Day Care Supervisor of Wind River Tails and Trails, loves dogs and it definitely shows. Kahla brought plenty of experience managing a dog day care facility in Oregon directly to Wind River Tails and Trails, where she fit into the “pack” perfectly from the start. Kahla has been extremely helpful with the development of the Wind River Tails and Trails Day Care program. Kahla’s primary responsibility is the care, maintenance and scheduling of day care and boarding dogs and the facility. Kahla’s specialty is her careful introduction of each new dog into the Wind River Tails and Trails “pack”, for healthy and positive play. Kahla is currently a student at the University of Montana where her focus of study is Wildlife Biology.