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