An Open Letter to Our Community

Recently, the work and mission of the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS) has come under question by a member of the local community. The concerns stem from issues that were present at OPHS in early 2024 and the years just prior which ultimately resulted in the temporary closure of the Bark House for eight months, beginning in August 2024.OPHS recognizes the impact that mismanagement and negligent oversight had on public trust, but we want the community to know that these issues have been corrected.

The effect of misinformation

To be sure, some of the ‘information’ that was recently publicly shared contains a measure of truth, but much is abjectly false. Misinformation undermines the impact of public programs and misdirects community trust and support. The shared information appears to have come from some of the people whose actions (and inactions) led to the neglect that caused the subsequent closure. Furthermore, some of these persons remain in the community. They are no longer employed by OPHS, but have moved to other shelters in the area. We encourage you to seek out the truth for yourself and make informed decisions. (Our financial pages, shelter statistics, and other relevant information have been or soon will be made readily available on our website.) OPHS’ community, donors, adopting families, and those who have surrendered animals for adoption deserve the truth. The truth is that OPHS is committed to offering sanctuary to the community’s most at-risk animals—and is now delivering on that commitment.

The past

In 2023 and the years immediately prior, OPHS leadership did an inadequate job advocating for the animals in their care and securing safe, appropriate shelter. In response, core members of the OPHS staff filed more than 30 internal complaints related to animal care and safety, receiving little response from the Bark House manager or Executive Director at that time. The staff continued to report concerns about animal care and employee safety, and to advocate for the animals in their care—eventually voting in the summer of 2024 to join a union in hopes of gaining a stronger voice in improving conditions.

The effects of this mismanagement extended beyond animal care. The overcrowding and poor oversight placed a heavy strain on our financial resources. Quite simply, the cost of proper veterinary treatment, staffing, food, cleaning supplies, and facility maintenance under those conditions exceeded our budget. This financial burden was a key factor in the difficult, but necessary, decision to temporarily close Bark House until we could renovate it to the highest standards. The new OPHS Board and management team agree with our staff that this should never have happened and it is our responsibility to ensure it is never allowed to happen again. We have learned from the mistakes of the past and listened to our staff, the public, and our community.

Our response 

In September 2024, new leadership stepped up to undertake the herculean responsibility of reorganizing, retraining, and putting the safety and health of the animals in our care as the highest priority.

 Everyone implicated in the past mismanagement has severed ties with OPHS, by their choice or by action of the new leadership.

The Bark House was temporarily closed in August 2024, halting all intake activity. Immediate medical care and rehabilitation efforts were put in place for the dogs already in the shelter at the time of its closure. Adoptable dogs were adopted into homes. Dogs who did not pass behavioral standards for safe placement in private homes were transferred into rehabilitation centers. Once emptied, the Bark House was intensively cleaned, repaired, and readied to provide safe, healthful shelter.

Changes to the Board of Directors 

Key members from the 2023 Board who were not involved in the mismanagement were asked to stay on and help facilitate the transition. Throughout 2024 and continuing into 2025, new Board Members were recruited for their unique passions, skills, and knowledge. Moving forward, the work of an active and involved Board will be vital to OPHS success in 2025 and beyond. Of note, all work performed by Board members is done on a voluntary basis—there is no financial gain for any Board Member. Participation requires significant investment in time and effort. Since September 2024, the Board members have donated more than 2,560 hours of their time, resulting in significant savings and improvements culminating in the reopening of Bark House.

Development and training of staff

The Executive Director provides primary oversight of management and staff, as well as serving as the liaison to the Board. This position is vital to operations and was left vacant as a result of the events of 2023-2024. In September 2024, Dr. Paul Stehr-Green, DrPH, MPH, MA, ACE was elected as President of the Board. He subsequently agreed to temporarily fill the role of Executive Director without pay to enable OPHS Board members and staff to plan and complete the transition without additional use of the funds donated by the community. The core of staff members who had fought for OPHS’ animals stayed on and underwent formal training in safe dog handling, canine behavior, and infectious disease prevention. Over time, new team members have been added to key positions. The current team at OPHS is composed of dedicated, compassionate individuals who were never part of the past misconduct.  In tandem with the improved facilities, these efforts have enabled a smooth transition and successful reopening of the Bark House.

Status of animals in our care

Today, animals under our care are not only healthy, but thriving. In the past eight months, we have provided safe sanctuary to 204 animals and adopted 158 of them to new homes. At the time of this writing, there are 31 cats available for adoption and 15 dogs awaiting forever homes.

How can you help?

Without advocates for animals in our community, many of their lives would be lost. We wish we could personally thank every one of you who has donated time and funds, adopted from our facilities, or simply supported our mission by sharing our content and lists of adoptable pets. Your continued trust, support, and advocacy are vital for OPHS’ success. If you have the time and energy, please join us. Share notices of adoptable pets from our social media pages, volunteer your time at Bark House or Kitty City, contribute supplies, or consider applying to join the Board of Directors. Help us make OPHS the best it can be for the animals we all care about.

The future

The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society will not waver from its mission. We have communicated openly with the public throughout this journey and will continue to do so with transparency and honesty.  We remain committed, proud of the progress we’ve made, and determined to stay focused on what matters most—the health, safety, and happiness of the animals entrusted to our care.

Together, we are building a better future.