PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society is moving to its new $1.5 million shelter on Old Olympic Highway.

The shelter was temporarily closed for adoptions Monday. Service will resume April 24 at the new digs at 1743 Old Olympic Highway.

The old shelter property at 2105 W. U.S. Highway 101 has been sold and everything must be moved out by Friday, said Mary Beth Wegener, executive director of the humane society.

Many volunteers registered earlier this year to help move animals and supplies from the old shelter to the new one, and those registered will be called as needed, she said.

Nonessential items were moved Monday the 12 miles to the new facilities, starting with office and nonessential items, Wegener said.

About 20 cats, 10 rabbits, three ferrets and a selection of hamsters and guinea pigs were transferred Tuesday from their cages to “Kitty City,” which offers spacious new cat rooms in a converted house on the new shelter property.

“It’s very unusual. It makes the move easier,” Wegener said of the low number of animals currently at the shelter.

The veterinarian and office equipment and supplies also were moved Monday and Tuesday, Wegener said.

About 25 dogs and their supplies will be moved to the “Bark House” kennel building later this week, she said.

A grand opening is planned sometime this summer, after the animals, staff and volunteers have settled into their new quarters, Wegener said.

The old shelter property was sold two months ago, but the new owner has let the shelter continue operating there rent-free until the new shelter was ready to move in, Wegener said.

The Highway 101 property was sold for $89,000 to David Waddell, according to county property records.

Wegener said she did not know what Waddell intends to do with the property.

The old 2,900-square-foot shelter has 28 indoor-only dog kennels with disconnected outdoor runs and a small cat room with individual cages for cats.

The new 8,500-square-foot shelter complex is located on a 9.5-acre lot between Port Angeles and Sequim.

A custom-built dog building is 5,500 square feet with 40 indoor-outdoor kennels, and existing buildings on the property were converted into a cat building, a veterinary clinic and an administrative building.

The property includes wooded walking trails for dogs, a pole barn and a pasture for farm animals.

The new dog kennels have heated floors, a grooming area, isolation kennels for new or sick dogs and adoption rooms.

The building is designed for an additional wing of kennels to be constructed as needed.

Kitty City has four open home-style adoption rooms, smaller kennels for cats who cannot mix with other cats and a mesh-enclosed porch for cats to get outside for fresh air.

The shelter takes in about 1,700 animals each year — about 65 percent cats, 30 percent dogs — and the remainder are pet rodents, rabbits, fish, birds and ferrets.

Many of the animals are stray pets that are returned to the owners, and others are put up for adoption or fostered in preparation for adoption.

About 6 percent of animals, those that are too ill or injured or are a danger to people or other animals, are euthanized.

The shelter never euthanizes animals due to a lack of space, Wegener has said.

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

During the move, county residents who want to surrender an animal, have lost or found an animal, or require the shelter’s assistance in some other way can phone 360-457-8206 or email info@ophumanesociety.org.

________

Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.