Mary Beth Wegener

Mary Beth Wegener

Olympic Peninsula Humane Society shelter getting finishing touches in Port Angeles; expected ready for animals in January

PORT ANGELES — Construction workers are finishing the interior of a $1.43 million expanded Olympic Peninsula Humane Society shelter complex on Old Olympic Highway in preparation for moving in about 150 animals in late January.

Mary Beth Wegener, executive director of the humane society, toured the shelter building Wednesday with Buddy, a Rottweiler-Shar-Pei mix who is what she calls an “ambassadog,” and ambassadog-in-training Kramer, a chocolate Labrador retriever.

The dogs sniffed and explored as construction workers prepared the interior for drywall installation at the shelter at 1743 Old Olympic Highway.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Donations have funded the move to the 8,500-square-foot shelter between Port Angeles and Sequim.

It expands the area for dogs to 5,500 square feet and adds a cat building , a veterinary clinic and an administrative building.

The current 2,900-square-foot shelter at 2105 U.S. Highway 101 west of Port Angeles has 28 indoor-only kennels with disconnected outdoor runs and a small cat room.

The nonprofit organization needs another $100,00 to finish paying the bills for the work on the new shelter.

Donations to the shelter’s Dig Deep capital campaign are expected to finish off the last $100,000 before February, but if not, the organization can get a loan, Wegener said.

The new dog building has 40 indoor-outdoor kennels, a grooming area and adoption rooms. It is designed for an additional wing of kennels to be constructed as needed.

Kennel floors are heated and an outdoor run serves every three kennels, so dogs can have play space with other dogs when appropriate, Wegener said.

New dogs will enter the shelter through a isolation medical room to prevent the introduction of diseases. Several kennels have cement dividers for dogs who present bite risks.

The dog house was the only structure built new. Three existing buildings on the property are being converted into the cat kennels, clinic and office.

Types of animals

The shelter cares for most types of small animals and currently houses about 150 adoptable animals, including gerbils, finches, rabbits, chickens, dogs and cats.

Adoption fees for the animals vary according to the species and age. The fee covers a portion of the cost of treatment and care the animals received.

In 2014, Olympic Peninsula Humane Society took in 1,612 animals, including:

■   506 adult dogs.

■   15 puppies.

■   560 adult cats.

■   485 kittens.

■   46 other animals, including birds, ferrets, cavies, rabbits, rats and fish.

Of stray animals taken in, 69.1 percent of dogs and 10.4 percent of their cats were returned to their families.

Euthanasia

About 6.3 percent of the animals admitted to the shelter were euthanized in 2014.

The decision to euthanize is used only as a last resort for untreatably ill or injured animals, or extremely aggressive animals that are a danger to staff or other dogs, Wegener said.

“A 90 percent save rate is the goal,” she said.

“Anything higher than that is really good.”

Wegener said animals are never euthanized because of lack of space or length of stay at the shelter.

Last week, the shelter took in 17 Chihuahua dogs, which Wegener said strained the old shelter’s capacity.

A few of those dogs were almost immediately adopted or sent to foster care. The remaining 11 were taken by other shelters or rescues, she said.

For more information about the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, phone 360-457-8206 or visit the website at www.ophumanesociety.org.

________

Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Coast Guard searching for three missing people

Vessel located Thursday after it was overdue Wednesday evening

AAUW, foundation selected for leadership award

The American Association of University Women and the University Women’s… Continue reading

Jason Squire, manager of the Rose Theatre in Port Townsend, shows off the new $150,000 Barco SP4K laser projector installed last month. The projector, one of three that the movie house needs for each of its screens, replaces an aging one that failed in June 2004, necessitating a GoFundMe drive for the owners, George Marie and Michael D’Alessandro, to help pay for a new one. More than $105,000 was raised from 777 donors. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
New projector

Jason Squire, manager of the Rose Theatre in Port Townsend, shows off… Continue reading

Clallam awards funds to address homelessness

Funding cycle to run through June 2027

Port Angeles commissions intersection control study

City council approves two new vehicle purchases

East Jefferson Fire Rescue Chief Bret Black addresses a group of attendees at the Port Ludlow fire department on Wednesday. From left to right are Smokey Bear, Jefferson County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour, Black, Jesse Duvall, the state Department of National Resources’ Community Resilience coordinator, and EJFR Community Risk Manager Robert Wittenberg. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
East Jefferson department offers free wildfire mitigation visits

Forecasts predict high-risk summer; neighborhoods prepare

Forum to speak about local news

Conversation slated Tuesday at Field Hall

Mason Combs is 4 feet, 3 inches tall and has red hair, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Child located after agencies partner on search

A 10-year-old boy who had been missing since Tuesday has… Continue reading

Sequim research lab testing ways to use seaweed, resources

PNNL is only Department of Energy lab with marine facilities

Bonnie Obremski, front left, substitute garden manager, and volunteers Susan Savelle, yellow visor, Sarah Maloy, left rear, Paulette De Llario, right rear, and Mary Claire Hunt, rear, helped clean up the Salish Coast Production Garden at the Salish Elementary School in Port Townsend on Saturday. The garden produced more than 5,000 pounds of produce used for the school lunches last year and farmers are aiming for 7,000 pounds in 2025. Hunt will be honored as a community health hero by the Jefferson County Public Health department for her efforts in bringing together farmers and gardeners who donate their crops to the Jefferson County food bank with a presentation on Thursday at the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners’ chambers at the Jefferson County Courthouse. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Garden cleanup

Bonnie Obremski, front left, substitute garden manager, and volunteers Susan Savelle, yellow… Continue reading

Foundation purchases hospital equipment

Linear accelerator to be installed in May

Port Townsend updated on city’s workplan

Forty-five of 61 projects on track, city manager says