PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society is hoping to reopen its dog facility, Bark House, at the beginning of next year after shuttering its doors in July.
The reopening is based on the humane society’s (OPHS’) ability to complete needed procedural and facility changes that were identified through consultation with outside experts, said to Paul Stehr-Green, interim executive director and board president.
OPHS held a public forum Wednesday night at the Moose Lodge in Port Angeles to present reopening plans and to gather community feedback.
The nonprofit organization had sorted future procedural and facility changes into two categories: top priority and secondary priority.
For top-priority changes, Stehr-Green said OPHS is going to “beef up” its infection-control procedures; change the intake quarantine period from two days to 14 days; make a policy that allows potential adopters to walk through the facility to see the dogs; and develop intensive training for staff and volunteers on how to handle dogs and clean the kennels.
OPHS also hopes to bring a veterinarian on staff to perform routine procedures for the organization.
“It’s all about the dogs and cats,” Stehr-Green reiterated throughout the night.
Top priority for facility renovations includes sealing off the air systems for the isolation and quarantine areas to prevent the spread of infections; adding individual tubs for the quarantine and isolation rooms; installing traction on the walkways; covering the windows on the kennel doors; cleaning and repairing the socialization rooms; and repairing holes in the perimeter fence.
Secondary procedural priorities include training staff to recognize and screen difficult dogs at intake, using two-way radios for communication and more.
The secondary renovation priorities include installing separate air exchange systems for the isolation and quarantine rooms; installing safety doors; sealing walls, floors, trim and gaps; cleaning out clogged drains; routinely checking and maintaining the facility and performing rodent control; splitting the exercise area into four smaller areas and rotating their locations; replacing indoor lighting with daylight bulbs; changing all the doors so they open inward; adding more dampening materials; and practicing quiet kennel procedures.
Some of the changes already have been completed, while more are in the works, Stehr-Green said. OPHS plans to solicit bids for renovations in the next few months.
Overall, Stehr-Green said the supplies needed to reopen will likely cost about $4,500, not including skilled labor costs.
When the Bark House reopens, Stehr-Green said it will initially accept up to 10 dogs before eventually expanding to a maximum of 25 dogs, which will be held in the facility’s 30 kennels. The 10 isolation and quarantine kennels will be reserved for those purposes, he added.
“Gone are the days where we’re going to accept an unbelievable number of dogs in our facility,” he said.
At one point, Bark House — a facility designed to hold a maximum of 40 dogs — had 108, Stehr-Green said.
“We are not going to go over capacity,” he said. “That is one mistake we are not going to repeat.”
In addition to procedural and facility changes, Stehr-Green said he wants to see the culture change to focus on care of the animals, mutual respect between staff and public accountability.
While the event was centered around OPHS’ future plans, many attendees pressed about OPHS’ past and the specific reasons why Bark House closed.
Previously, OPHS communication has pinned the reasons for closure on high operating costs and an influx of dog surrenders post-COVID, according to prior reporting.
At the public meeting, Stehr-Green said Bark House also had poor infection control and a lack of checks and balances, communication and a clear leadership hierarchy.
“I can’t speak for the people who came before,” Stehr-Green said. “We’re trying to learn from the mistakes they made … and move forward with that knowledge.”
OPHS personnel has gone through almost a complete overhaul since July.
After the closure, then-executive director Jason Stipp resigned, many of the board members stepped down and staff went from about 30 employees down to six.
In September, Stehr-Green stepped in as board president and interim executive director at no cost.
“And I’m worth every penny,” he joked.
Despite answering a few questions about past OPHS decisions, Stehr-Green said the purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was to gather feedback about the plans for the Bark House.
Conversations about previous OPHS decisions could come at a separate time, he said.
However, he said he would work to increase transparency of decisions made by the board, and he encouraged interested individuals to fill one of the open board spots.
In addition to Bark House, OPHS runs a separate cat facility in Sequim called Kitty City that can hold about 40 cats and is currently at capacity.
While OPHS was working on Bark House changes, Stehr-Green said some of the policies will carry over to Kitty City. That includes increasing the initial quarantine period, providing routine tests for every cat that comes in, implementing stronger infection control procedures and more.
Stehr-Green said at there are no plans to consolidate the two facilities, as neither one can accommodate the other type of animal.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
