SEQUIM — Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS) will provide spay/neuter services to Clallam County residents beginning this coming Monday.
With the addition of a second surgery suite at the new campus located at 91 S. Boyce Road in Sequim, the society will be able to offer the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) in-house to those limited-income families who qualify, noted OPHS executive director Luanne Hinkle said.
The new, 7,500 square-foot facility that opened in June 2022 was specially designed to be able to offer public spay/neuter services isolating owned animals from those housed on campus, she said.
Because of limited staff and/or existing client saturation in veterinarian clinics in the county, many residents have found it difficult to locate a vet clinic in the area that takes on new patients, OPHS representatives said.
“This limited availability has caused a large backlog with waiting lists of three months or more for service,” Hinkle said.
“Since OPHS has a seasoned veterinarian in-house that can provide these surgeries, now is the perfect time for OPHS to help.”
While the first clinic will begin in March, more clinics will be scheduled on a bi-monthly basis thereafter, OPHS representatives said, with a goal of providing 480 community spay/neuter surgeries a year exclusive of the 400-500 surgeries on shelter animals.
OPHS has requested funding from several grantors for the cost of all the medications, equipment and surgical supplies that total about $50,000, Hinkle said; SPCA International has funded $5,000 help jump-start the program.
“Preventing animal overpopulation is one of the pillars in our mission statement,” Hinkle said. “We are committed to helping the community in this way going forward.”
The community can view requirements and apply online at ophumane society.org/spay-neuter- assistance-program-snap or call OPHS at 360-457-8206 to get an application and schedule an appointment.
For more than 76 years, the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS) has maintained an active presence in Sequim, Port Angeles and surrounding areas.
The no-kill shelter cares for domestic animals of all types regardless of breed, health or disposition. As a private, nonprofit corporation not associated with a national organization, OPHS is financed primarily by private donations.
No animals are turned away, OPHS representatives said, and more than 80,000 animals have been adopted over the years.
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Michael Dashiell is the editor of the Sequim Gazette of the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which also is composed of other Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News and Forks Forum. Reach him at editor@sequimgazette.com.
