PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners passed a resolution to reestablish the animal issues advisory committee and rename it the animal solutions advisory committee.
The committee is being reimplemented after the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society announced the closure of its Bark House, which was where many county law enforcement officers had taken stray, abandoned and dangerous dogs.
The committee, which was disbanded in 2019 after two years of inactivity, has two main purposes.
The first is to advise and support the commissioners and the sheriff’s office on animal control management in Clallam County, according to a press release.
“There’s a discrete need that the sheriff’s office has that is encased in a larger need that the community has,” Commissioner Mark Ozias said during Monday’s work session.
The second purpose, according to the resolution, is to “provide a regular forum for exchanging information, sharing resources, highlighting emergency concerns and recommending key community strategies to better support county residents and their companion animals.”
The committee will meet quarterly to begin with, and more often if they determine a need.
The committee will have the following representation: one member from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office; one member each from the cities of Sequim, Port Angeles and Forks; one member each from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Makah Tribe and Quileute tribe; one member each from the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, the Welfare for Animals Guild, Friends of Forks Animals and Peninsula Friends of Animals; one member from a county-based equine rescue organization; one member from an animal rescue organization that works with animals other than dogs, cats and horses; two members at-large; the Clallam County, Port Angeles and Sequim animal control officers; a veterinarian; and a non-voting Clallam County Commissioner.
Ozias said during Monday’s work session that the committee’s size could be cause for concern.
“If the committee’s too large, it can be a little unwieldy and potentially have a harder time getting traction,” Ozias said based on conversations he had with the committee’s previous chair.
County Undersheriff Lorraine Shore said size shouldn’t be a concern, as it often changes based on who decides to show up.
Ozias said that previous versions of this committee had worked on county draft ordinances which could be conversation “starting fodder” for the new committee.
The county begun formal recruitment on Tuesday. There are volunteer openings for the following representative positions: one veterinarian; one county equine rescue organization; one animal rescue organization for animals other than dogs, cats and horses; and two at-large members.
Interested citizens can contact the county commissioners’ office at 360-417-2233, visit the office or email rachel.weed@clallamcountywa.gov.
Applications must be received by the end of business day Aug. 19.
“This is something that we’re trying to stand up as quickly as possible,” Ozias said.
The commissioners’ next step will be to appoint all the committee members.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
