Don't forget this "humane" is not associated with the national one. They get $$ contracts with both the City and County, but do NOT DO "animal control". They only house animals. So, animal abusers, dog fighters, etc. are not investigated. The city does not have an Animal Resources animal (dog catcher position was cut years ago) and the County HAD an animal officer -- although, I am unsure if what the status is now. Add to that, if someone had multiple, multiple animal citations -- the county DA declines to actually do anything. The 990's are quite telling.
Every few years the Humane Society threatens to quit, and shut down -- (three times that I can remember in the last 20 years) and then the county and cities (Port Angeles and Sequim) cough up more money. "Save the kitties and puppies" is the rally cry. Speaker after speaker show up to beg for more money.
Same as I said above, you have no idea what it as actually like there. I suggest you go and volunteer some time helping the animals to see what it is really like. Veterinary costs have increased tremendously since the pandemic. The shelter has to pay for that too. I think it is short sighted to criticize them without having any idea what is really happening there. They are trying to save animals lives and not euthanize as a form of animal control. Criticism without understanding just makes their job more stressful
I don't have any idea "what it is actually like there". I have volunteered at other shelters, in the past, and been involved with animal rescue. However, the numbers on the n-990's are clear: the employment numbers have risen much too much. There are a lot of questions from the numbers: Why WAS the volunteer system dismantled?
How can any non-profit blame vets fees while raising salaries within the organization by more than 30%?
There are way TOO many questions -- if one just looks at the numbers. I understand NUMBERS, and looking at the numbers since 2017, I find some real red-flags. There should be more information to address the "oh whoops, we are in financial trouble". This was obviously a slow motion train wreck -- and should have had LOTS of warning. Numbers don't lie. (I'd love to review the books.)
You are casting aspersions, and "feelings" without answering any questions.
Since you are (obviously) involved -- please, enlighten us. Please address the complaints regarding the difficulty of adopting. Meanwhile, what happened to a low cost spay/neuter program (the cornerstone of most shelters)?
Thank you for volunteering at shelters and rescues in the past. It is such a rewarding service both for the animals and the volunteers.
The reason in my opinion that some people think it is hard to adopt there is because they want potential adopters to answer some questions on a form and in person. The reason is not that they are trying to make it hard. They are trying their best to make sure that a good match is made for each animal and that you will be able to provide a loving, caring lifetime home for their pet. It is never foolproof but they try their best. These questions are standard at most shelters. For instance, they want to make sure if you adopt a cat/kitten from them that you won’t have the cat declawed. The questions are all meant to do their best for the animals.
As far as the spay neuter assistance program, I am not aware that it isn’t active and would need to check that. If it isn’t, it must be for financial reasons. I totally agree with you that the spay neuter program is highly important.
I also know that having a good director can make
A huge difference in how a shelter operates. I believe it is worth it to pay as generous a salary as possible to a good director who will focus on no kill, being progressive and a good spay neuter assistance program. Yes the animals should come first
The Animal Shelter looks like another case of a government funded program run amok. It is difficult to police all of the government agencies, to keep them honest. Who approved the increases in salaries? Who has oversight responsibilities? How was there discussion of expanding the facility; was there a building fund? Where do the dogs go that are presently housed in the facility? So many questions.
You're welcome, this is another article where the community contributed more than CCWD did. We have so many caring, knowledgeable people here. It's a shame when they get taken advantage of.
About those statistics: "$139,755 for animal care" is what was spent on food and other consumables. Almost all staff compensation was for staff caring for animals; office expenses are communication and tracking intake & adoption of animals. Far more than 8% went to animal care. As Mark Twain observed, there are "Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics."
As for Hinkle's compensation, she demanded a whole lot to stay on the job until we found her replacement. I wish I had voted "NO" on a big chunk of that, but the Board was over a barrel, with her treating us like mushrooms.
New ED Jason Stipp discovered and is airing a litany of challenges, fully informing the Board, and has us on the difficult path to stability and out of dysfunction.
I could say more, but I'm not the designated OPHS spokesperson, but I am OPHS Board Secretary Martha Ireland
Thank you for your dedicated work with such an important organization, Martha. If anything is wrong with the article, please tell me, and I'll fix it. I'd love the opportunity to speak to a Board member, but contact info isn't on the website. There are many questions unanswered: Why such a drastic pay raise? Why weren't the dire circumstances mentioned in last month's letter from the President? Why the reluctance to discuss "price per kennel?" Why has volunteer training been on hold in a community that is so willing to give time?
Martha, I believe many of us were taken aback by the sudden halt in operations, which seemed to come without any prior indication.
Again, thank you so much for your hard work. We all look forward to OPHS emerging from this as a stronger, improved organization. The community is behind you on this.
The Hinkle demand is simply disturbing. Extortion. No one is worth that much of a raise at a public agency or nonprofit organization. She clearly then was not making the dogs and cats a priority. The Board should have offered a modest raise of no more than 10%. If she walks, then find an interim ED. Nicole Miller would be my first choice. She helped us adopt our doggie last year and has been there for several years.
Thank you Martha, you are truly in a position to know. I think the general public has no idea of the hard job an open admission shelter faces and the expenses involved. I support them 100% and thank them for their hard work in becoming no kill. With the public’s support and donations they can continue to be no kill. It really is a dire time at shelters everywhere with record numbers of animal surrenders. Thank you for your work for the animals. We need the OPHS❤️
Maybe if they changed their name to global humane society, International humane society or tribal humane society they could get more funding. :) This is great spot for 6 600,00 dollar houses or an apartment complex for the future Carlsborg expansion for the climate migrants and people of color. My bet is its an apartment complex for the wonderful roundabout and urban growth dream they have. Hwy101 and the new 30 mph freight corridor they want to build on it..
I can see you aren’t taking the animals lives into consideration. That is their mission to save animals lives. They are not a political organization. Working at, volunteering at and even being the director of a humane society is a hard thankless job. They get their reward by knowing they are helping save animals lives.
The old way was to take animals in and just kill them. I for one hope to never see that again. Please show some consideration and support, your comments are hurting animals in my opinion
That sort of approach leads to runaway, unsustainable costs and the closing of an entire program. How many dogs will be helped now that the doors are closed?
They will be transferring the dogs to the Kitty City shelter after they get space ready for them. Personally I liked having the cats separate but I can see where having 2 separate shelters would add to their expenses a lot. They will still be caring for dogs.
So the county wants urban growth in Carlsborg. So why take out a humane society close to the urban growth? Being cynical about a tribal and internationally flavored government process does not hurt animals.
Jeff Tozzer is unraveling bit by bit the stink of corruption that has ruled in Clallam County for decades. Brilliant writing, way to go Jeff and the people helping you with tons of research.
Get rid of the director and save a ton of money? What do we need an over-paid director for? Even rotating volunteers could do that job, with perhaps budgetary oversight by an existing county manager, if needed. Think about how many animals could be cared for by the money saved from that salary?
Good morning Jeff… 😎. The place on Boyce questioned us like felons to see if we would be able to adopt one of their kittens… the animals were depressed lack luster and so was the staff who were hardly around… we couldn’t get out of their politely and quick enough. Both of us wondered how they have stayed open!
Same here, the application was so lengthy (and a little intrusive). We ended up getting our cat in the parking lot of Home Depot for free and she's a sweetie.
Like wise our neighbors kitty had a batch of kittens and we took the last two… female litter mates… they are incredibly smart and rambunctious, omgosh… lol… we have stories…
The reason they question you is to try to make sure you will provide a good home for the cats. They are trying their best, it’s an underpaid job that is highly stressful. They have to deal with people coming in and saying- here take my cat- we are moving, had a baby and countless other reasons. They only have so much space and are trying to not have to euthanize because of over crowding. Please have some understanding of their mission. Summer is the most stressful time because of kittens being born. The solution is spay and neuter and supporting our shelters not tearing them down
The decision to temporarily close the Bark House campus was the most difficult decision any of our board members have made. It was gut-wrenching. We consulted with many people outside the organization, including donors, financial experts, and previous board members. We ran through every possible scenario before coming to the conclusion that this was the best course of action to ensure the longevity of the organization, uphold our mission statement, and honor our donors and the investment made in OPHS by the public. By scaling down our operations, we can consolidate, restructure, and streamline, making cost-effective changes.
We recognize that public and private donors have invested time and money into the acquisition of the Old Olympic property and the building of the Bark House. It is of utmost importance to us that we honor their legacy. We feel our plan to sell the old Olympic property, including the Bark House structure will continue to benefit dogs in the long term. This investment will be used to create a new facility that is more cost-effective, safe, and comfortable for the animals. The honorary benches, memorial garden, pavers, and donor plaques will all be moved to the new property so they may continue to be enjoyed always.
We have tried to communicate the urgency of our situation to local agencies many times over the past several months. We are a shelter, not animal control. Our mission is to save as many lives as possible. Despite informing animal control of our overcapacity and inability to accept more animals, we were advised to euthanize dogs to make room. Our conflicting ideology lies in the fact that animal control's job is to control the animal population, while our job is to save lives.
We will never euthanize an adoptable animal due to their length of stay or lack of space. Animals that come to us often require extensive rehabilitation and resources, which we are committed to providing. We invest thousands of dollars in each of these animals to give them a chance at adoption. I want to reiterate, that no adoptable animal will be euthanized.
Our finances are routinely audited, and we had a successful audit done in March by a reputable CPA firm. We have good leadership skills within our Board and Executive Director, and we are fighting for a worthy cause. It's all about the animals.
We are committed to transparency and are working diligently to respond to calls and emails, find homes for the dogs, and plan for our future. There is much speculation and many rumors circulating. It is important for us to provide factual answers to these questions. Although there are only a few of us, we are working diligently to gather the specific data needed to provide accurate information. It may take some time, but we are dedicated to getting the facts out as quickly as possible. We ask for patience and understanding from the community, and we thank those who continue to support us during this difficult time.
Thank you so much OPHS, I hope the public will understand and support you in this time of need and not criticize.
I support your decision to not euthanize for space 1000%. I really can’t believe Animal Control would even consider it, so backwards. Killing is not the solution, that’s why I’m so glad that Animal Control is not housing the animals. The kill rate would go up so much and for no good reason. Now is when the public can help by donating and offering to foster some of the animals in transition. Also I hope other rescue groups like WAG are able to help you save lives. You have my support and even though I did like the cats being separate, I support you in this move as a way to save more money for the animals. I hope people will realize that an animal shelter is not like a regular business. You are trying to save precious lives. Thank you
Jeff...Kudos for digging in and shining some light into the darkness. This is the age of information and revelation and boy are you getting the information out...wow!
None of this is what we want to hear/see but it's necessary to bring awareness no matter how painful.
The scope and depth of 'evil' is staggering and we kind of always thought it was 'happening out there' somewhere but it's been in our own backyard all the time, simmering and seeping away.
Morals and ethics, morals and ethics, morals and ethics...It's not easy Not getting seduced by the world and I am imperfect as anyone but I am determined to not just go along to get along.
'The world' starts in our focus, thoughts, feelings and actions.
It's the only place we have Any power to start to change things.
There is an old saying, 'be in the world but not of it.' Not an easy task, especially with the global nature of the corruption, but it's a worthwhile goal.
Maybe the Devolution has to occur before the Revolution can take place, eh?
Bless you and yours, well....Bless everyone...We could use some blessings... and gratitude that our personal evils are hopefully containable and not out of control like so many.
The Communists are only around 10% of society but they wield power over each other and the rest of us in tyrannical style... I say...ENOUGH...BRING THEM DOWN!
Hmmmmm........What are we missing????? Could it be that the Change of Use Permit, Conditional Use Permit, and SEPA for the Kitty City property were all based on it being a "Cat Only and Indoor" Facility!!!!
Incompetence or corruption. The Humane society is on the verge of failure due to one or the other. Incompetence or corruption. It's everywhere you look. No consequences for anyone, so the game keeps getting played the same everywhere. Incompetence or corruption. No in between.
Has it occurred to you that it could be problems out of their control? They have been overwhelmed with animals being returned and surrendered. It seems there is less spay neuter assistance available locally than there used to be so people are not getting their animals fixed. That results in more kittens and puppies being born and people wanting the shelter to take them. I know times are hard for some right now but I wish providing help for animals was a higher priority. Meanwhile the shelter takes the brunt of it along with the animals.
Is it corruption or incompetence that “expenses for animal care were only $139,755. Staff compensation, when combined with the earnings of Hinkle, totaled $909,038?” Because there is no in between. “Luanne Hinkle, who began as Executive Director in late 2017, received a salary increase from $95,816 in 2022 to $141,933 the following year.” $46,177 raise in one year! So there is either complete incompetence with budgets or there is corruption to use the money to enrich themselves. Same story everywhere, county offices, hospital, schools, city, tribes. It’s NOT out of their control. But there are no consequences so it will continue.
Thank you for digging into this issue, Jeff. It hits me personally due to being a donor and adoptor. I even have OPHS as beneficiary on some bank accounts. I'll probably reconsider that since they should have plenty of money once the Bark House is sold and a sustainable budget is put in place. Best of luck to them.
You're welcome. It's so sad... The facts needed to be aired, but somehow I'm not thrilled. This was a tough one. Most of our 18 animals came from Center Valley Animal Rescue in Quilcene. They pick up the slack when Clallam County can't (often). We are big supporters and can't say enough good things about CVAR. Their animals are so well cared for.
CVAR is a great group, and so is OPHS. Having a good director can make all the difference in increasing donations and adoptions. Right now is an especially hard time for shelters everywhere. They had to cut back on volunteers during the pandemic, spay/neuter clinics and services were closed or cut way back which has resulted in a higher birth rate again which will take a few years to catch up to where it was before the pandemic. Also while people did adopt pets when they were home, unfortunately now many of those people are returning the animals back to the shelters now that they are back at work. Totally inexcusable but it is happening. All that besides the normal summer overload of kittens coming into the shelter. That is a lot to deal with along with trying to keep the animals healthy. Every time we have visited Kitty City, the cats have been healthy and happy. Not depressed at all, the staff works hard to care for them and get to know them individually. Like I said every larger shelter and rescue group has a paid director now along with paid staff. Even PFOA locally and their staff and director are well worth it❤️
I disagree with this article. You can’t put a set price on each kennels cost. Some animals have high costs for their veterinary care. Veterinary prices have increased over the last few years and so have animal surrenders to shelter nationwide, ours included.
Working there is a hard, stressful underpaid job. They are trying to prevent having to euthanize animals like the old way at animal shelters. Transferring animals to other shelters who can help and taking in animals from other shelters when possible helps accomplish saving lives.
I suggest that the writer goes to shelter and volunteers some time to see what it is actually like there before passing judgement.
Thanks Linda, I have 18 rescue animals right now. Since OPHS suspended their volunteer training program, I can't volunteer. However, I have experience being a taxpayer and I have expectations of communication and transparency that OPHS did not meet.
I don't need to work in the Whitehouse to ask reasonable questions of federal government, and I don't need to volunteer at an animal shelter to get an answer of price per kennel.
Indeed Jeff - you are a wonderful example of a generous heart - you looked at your own resources and decided to take in those critters who are now thriving on your land - granted, not everyone has the ability to do this and THANK you!!!
Thank you for having rescue animals, it’s wonderful to hear that. I still stand by what I said about every animal having different needs and health costs. Animals aren’t the same as a product manufactured by a business.
Don't forget this "humane" is not associated with the national one. They get $$ contracts with both the City and County, but do NOT DO "animal control". They only house animals. So, animal abusers, dog fighters, etc. are not investigated. The city does not have an Animal Resources animal (dog catcher position was cut years ago) and the County HAD an animal officer -- although, I am unsure if what the status is now. Add to that, if someone had multiple, multiple animal citations -- the county DA declines to actually do anything. The 990's are quite telling.
Every few years the Humane Society threatens to quit, and shut down -- (three times that I can remember in the last 20 years) and then the county and cities (Port Angeles and Sequim) cough up more money. "Save the kitties and puppies" is the rally cry. Speaker after speaker show up to beg for more money.
I am expecting this, again.
Same as I said above, you have no idea what it as actually like there. I suggest you go and volunteer some time helping the animals to see what it is really like. Veterinary costs have increased tremendously since the pandemic. The shelter has to pay for that too. I think it is short sighted to criticize them without having any idea what is really happening there. They are trying to save animals lives and not euthanize as a form of animal control. Criticism without understanding just makes their job more stressful
I don't have any idea "what it is actually like there". I have volunteered at other shelters, in the past, and been involved with animal rescue. However, the numbers on the n-990's are clear: the employment numbers have risen much too much. There are a lot of questions from the numbers: Why WAS the volunteer system dismantled?
How can any non-profit blame vets fees while raising salaries within the organization by more than 30%?
There are way TOO many questions -- if one just looks at the numbers. I understand NUMBERS, and looking at the numbers since 2017, I find some real red-flags. There should be more information to address the "oh whoops, we are in financial trouble". This was obviously a slow motion train wreck -- and should have had LOTS of warning. Numbers don't lie. (I'd love to review the books.)
You are casting aspersions, and "feelings" without answering any questions.
Since you are (obviously) involved -- please, enlighten us. Please address the complaints regarding the difficulty of adopting. Meanwhile, what happened to a low cost spay/neuter program (the cornerstone of most shelters)?
Thank you for volunteering at shelters and rescues in the past. It is such a rewarding service both for the animals and the volunteers.
The reason in my opinion that some people think it is hard to adopt there is because they want potential adopters to answer some questions on a form and in person. The reason is not that they are trying to make it hard. They are trying their best to make sure that a good match is made for each animal and that you will be able to provide a loving, caring lifetime home for their pet. It is never foolproof but they try their best. These questions are standard at most shelters. For instance, they want to make sure if you adopt a cat/kitten from them that you won’t have the cat declawed. The questions are all meant to do their best for the animals.
As far as the spay neuter assistance program, I am not aware that it isn’t active and would need to check that. If it isn’t, it must be for financial reasons. I totally agree with you that the spay neuter program is highly important.
I also know that having a good director can make
A huge difference in how a shelter operates. I believe it is worth it to pay as generous a salary as possible to a good director who will focus on no kill, being progressive and a good spay neuter assistance program. Yes the animals should come first
But the fact of inflated salary increases cannot be denied. 8% is a dismal paltry amount going to actual care.
Thank you to Clallam Watchdog, yet again.
The Animal Shelter looks like another case of a government funded program run amok. It is difficult to police all of the government agencies, to keep them honest. Who approved the increases in salaries? Who has oversight responsibilities? How was there discussion of expanding the facility; was there a building fund? Where do the dogs go that are presently housed in the facility? So many questions.
You're welcome, this is another article where the community contributed more than CCWD did. We have so many caring, knowledgeable people here. It's a shame when they get taken advantage of.
About those statistics: "$139,755 for animal care" is what was spent on food and other consumables. Almost all staff compensation was for staff caring for animals; office expenses are communication and tracking intake & adoption of animals. Far more than 8% went to animal care. As Mark Twain observed, there are "Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics."
As for Hinkle's compensation, she demanded a whole lot to stay on the job until we found her replacement. I wish I had voted "NO" on a big chunk of that, but the Board was over a barrel, with her treating us like mushrooms.
New ED Jason Stipp discovered and is airing a litany of challenges, fully informing the Board, and has us on the difficult path to stability and out of dysfunction.
I could say more, but I'm not the designated OPHS spokesperson, but I am OPHS Board Secretary Martha Ireland
Thank you for your dedicated work with such an important organization, Martha. If anything is wrong with the article, please tell me, and I'll fix it. I'd love the opportunity to speak to a Board member, but contact info isn't on the website. There are many questions unanswered: Why such a drastic pay raise? Why weren't the dire circumstances mentioned in last month's letter from the President? Why the reluctance to discuss "price per kennel?" Why has volunteer training been on hold in a community that is so willing to give time?
Martha, I believe many of us were taken aback by the sudden halt in operations, which seemed to come without any prior indication.
Again, thank you so much for your hard work. We all look forward to OPHS emerging from this as a stronger, improved organization. The community is behind you on this.
Jeff
The Hinkle demand is simply disturbing. Extortion. No one is worth that much of a raise at a public agency or nonprofit organization. She clearly then was not making the dogs and cats a priority. The Board should have offered a modest raise of no more than 10%. If she walks, then find an interim ED. Nicole Miller would be my first choice. She helped us adopt our doggie last year and has been there for several years.
Thank you Martha, you are truly in a position to know. I think the general public has no idea of the hard job an open admission shelter faces and the expenses involved. I support them 100% and thank them for their hard work in becoming no kill. With the public’s support and donations they can continue to be no kill. It really is a dire time at shelters everywhere with record numbers of animal surrenders. Thank you for your work for the animals. We need the OPHS❤️
Maybe if they changed their name to global humane society, International humane society or tribal humane society they could get more funding. :) This is great spot for 6 600,00 dollar houses or an apartment complex for the future Carlsborg expansion for the climate migrants and people of color. My bet is its an apartment complex for the wonderful roundabout and urban growth dream they have. Hwy101 and the new 30 mph freight corridor they want to build on it..
I can see you aren’t taking the animals lives into consideration. That is their mission to save animals lives. They are not a political organization. Working at, volunteering at and even being the director of a humane society is a hard thankless job. They get their reward by knowing they are helping save animals lives.
The old way was to take animals in and just kill them. I for one hope to never see that again. Please show some consideration and support, your comments are hurting animals in my opinion
That sort of approach leads to runaway, unsustainable costs and the closing of an entire program. How many dogs will be helped now that the doors are closed?
By that sort of approach,
Do you mean the goal of not euthanizing for space? If so I disagree with all my heart
They will be transferring the dogs to the Kitty City shelter after they get space ready for them. Personally I liked having the cats separate but I can see where having 2 separate shelters would add to their expenses a lot. They will still be caring for dogs.
You’re thinking with your heart and not your head. Read those numbers. This is the exact same organizational bloating that shut down SARC.
So the county wants urban growth in Carlsborg. So why take out a humane society close to the urban growth? Being cynical about a tribal and internationally flavored government process does not hurt animals.
Oh John, no, that kind of greed doesn’t exist here in our county…. Surly the safety and health of these poor critters comes first. Surly…. 🙀😆😆😆
Jeff Tozzer is unraveling bit by bit the stink of corruption that has ruled in Clallam County for decades. Brilliant writing, way to go Jeff and the people helping you with tons of research.
Thanks, Gayle. I'm just standing on the shoulders of others.
Get rid of the director and save a ton of money? What do we need an over-paid director for? Even rotating volunteers could do that job, with perhaps budgetary oversight by an existing county manager, if needed. Think about how many animals could be cared for by the money saved from that salary?
Good morning Jeff… 😎. The place on Boyce questioned us like felons to see if we would be able to adopt one of their kittens… the animals were depressed lack luster and so was the staff who were hardly around… we couldn’t get out of their politely and quick enough. Both of us wondered how they have stayed open!
Same here, the application was so lengthy (and a little intrusive). We ended up getting our cat in the parking lot of Home Depot for free and she's a sweetie.
Like wise our neighbors kitty had a batch of kittens and we took the last two… female litter mates… they are incredibly smart and rambunctious, omgosh… lol… we have stories…
The reason they question you is to try to make sure you will provide a good home for the cats. They are trying their best, it’s an underpaid job that is highly stressful. They have to deal with people coming in and saying- here take my cat- we are moving, had a baby and countless other reasons. They only have so much space and are trying to not have to euthanize because of over crowding. Please have some understanding of their mission. Summer is the most stressful time because of kittens being born. The solution is spay and neuter and supporting our shelters not tearing them down
Official OPHS Board of Directors statement:
The decision to temporarily close the Bark House campus was the most difficult decision any of our board members have made. It was gut-wrenching. We consulted with many people outside the organization, including donors, financial experts, and previous board members. We ran through every possible scenario before coming to the conclusion that this was the best course of action to ensure the longevity of the organization, uphold our mission statement, and honor our donors and the investment made in OPHS by the public. By scaling down our operations, we can consolidate, restructure, and streamline, making cost-effective changes.
We recognize that public and private donors have invested time and money into the acquisition of the Old Olympic property and the building of the Bark House. It is of utmost importance to us that we honor their legacy. We feel our plan to sell the old Olympic property, including the Bark House structure will continue to benefit dogs in the long term. This investment will be used to create a new facility that is more cost-effective, safe, and comfortable for the animals. The honorary benches, memorial garden, pavers, and donor plaques will all be moved to the new property so they may continue to be enjoyed always.
We have tried to communicate the urgency of our situation to local agencies many times over the past several months. We are a shelter, not animal control. Our mission is to save as many lives as possible. Despite informing animal control of our overcapacity and inability to accept more animals, we were advised to euthanize dogs to make room. Our conflicting ideology lies in the fact that animal control's job is to control the animal population, while our job is to save lives.
We will never euthanize an adoptable animal due to their length of stay or lack of space. Animals that come to us often require extensive rehabilitation and resources, which we are committed to providing. We invest thousands of dollars in each of these animals to give them a chance at adoption. I want to reiterate, that no adoptable animal will be euthanized.
Our finances are routinely audited, and we had a successful audit done in March by a reputable CPA firm. We have good leadership skills within our Board and Executive Director, and we are fighting for a worthy cause. It's all about the animals.
We are committed to transparency and are working diligently to respond to calls and emails, find homes for the dogs, and plan for our future. There is much speculation and many rumors circulating. It is important for us to provide factual answers to these questions. Although there are only a few of us, we are working diligently to gather the specific data needed to provide accurate information. It may take some time, but we are dedicated to getting the facts out as quickly as possible. We ask for patience and understanding from the community, and we thank those who continue to support us during this difficult time.
Thank you, would you like me to include this statement with the article?
Please do, with 1 change, please delete the word "temporarily" in the first sentence. It seems to be confusing some people. Thanks much.
Thanks to you and the Board, Martha. The article has been updated with your statement.
Thank you so much OPHS, I hope the public will understand and support you in this time of need and not criticize.
I support your decision to not euthanize for space 1000%. I really can’t believe Animal Control would even consider it, so backwards. Killing is not the solution, that’s why I’m so glad that Animal Control is not housing the animals. The kill rate would go up so much and for no good reason. Now is when the public can help by donating and offering to foster some of the animals in transition. Also I hope other rescue groups like WAG are able to help you save lives. You have my support and even though I did like the cats being separate, I support you in this move as a way to save more money for the animals. I hope people will realize that an animal shelter is not like a regular business. You are trying to save precious lives. Thank you
Thanks for sharing
Jeff...Kudos for digging in and shining some light into the darkness. This is the age of information and revelation and boy are you getting the information out...wow!
None of this is what we want to hear/see but it's necessary to bring awareness no matter how painful.
The scope and depth of 'evil' is staggering and we kind of always thought it was 'happening out there' somewhere but it's been in our own backyard all the time, simmering and seeping away.
Morals and ethics, morals and ethics, morals and ethics...It's not easy Not getting seduced by the world and I am imperfect as anyone but I am determined to not just go along to get along.
'The world' starts in our focus, thoughts, feelings and actions.
It's the only place we have Any power to start to change things.
There is an old saying, 'be in the world but not of it.' Not an easy task, especially with the global nature of the corruption, but it's a worthwhile goal.
Maybe the Devolution has to occur before the Revolution can take place, eh?
Bless you and yours, well....Bless everyone...We could use some blessings... and gratitude that our personal evils are hopefully containable and not out of control like so many.
The Communists are only around 10% of society but they wield power over each other and the rest of us in tyrannical style... I say...ENOUGH...BRING THEM DOWN!
Thanks a lot, Robert. I get excited when I think about how much we are unearthing... and then I panic when I think about how much we are missing!
Remember to stay pesky Jeff!
xoxoxoxo
Hmmmmm........What are we missing????? Could it be that the Change of Use Permit, Conditional Use Permit, and SEPA for the Kitty City property were all based on it being a "Cat Only and Indoor" Facility!!!!
Kudos Robert commenting with grace thank you…
Incompetence or corruption. The Humane society is on the verge of failure due to one or the other. Incompetence or corruption. It's everywhere you look. No consequences for anyone, so the game keeps getting played the same everywhere. Incompetence or corruption. No in between.
Has it occurred to you that it could be problems out of their control? They have been overwhelmed with animals being returned and surrendered. It seems there is less spay neuter assistance available locally than there used to be so people are not getting their animals fixed. That results in more kittens and puppies being born and people wanting the shelter to take them. I know times are hard for some right now but I wish providing help for animals was a higher priority. Meanwhile the shelter takes the brunt of it along with the animals.
Is it corruption or incompetence that “expenses for animal care were only $139,755. Staff compensation, when combined with the earnings of Hinkle, totaled $909,038?” Because there is no in between. “Luanne Hinkle, who began as Executive Director in late 2017, received a salary increase from $95,816 in 2022 to $141,933 the following year.” $46,177 raise in one year! So there is either complete incompetence with budgets or there is corruption to use the money to enrich themselves. Same story everywhere, county offices, hospital, schools, city, tribes. It’s NOT out of their control. But there are no consequences so it will continue.
Thank you for digging into this issue, Jeff. It hits me personally due to being a donor and adoptor. I even have OPHS as beneficiary on some bank accounts. I'll probably reconsider that since they should have plenty of money once the Bark House is sold and a sustainable budget is put in place. Best of luck to them.
You're welcome. It's so sad... The facts needed to be aired, but somehow I'm not thrilled. This was a tough one. Most of our 18 animals came from Center Valley Animal Rescue in Quilcene. They pick up the slack when Clallam County can't (often). We are big supporters and can't say enough good things about CVAR. Their animals are so well cared for.
It would be interesting to do a financial comparison between OPHS and CVAR.
CVAR is a great group, and so is OPHS. Having a good director can make all the difference in increasing donations and adoptions. Right now is an especially hard time for shelters everywhere. They had to cut back on volunteers during the pandemic, spay/neuter clinics and services were closed or cut way back which has resulted in a higher birth rate again which will take a few years to catch up to where it was before the pandemic. Also while people did adopt pets when they were home, unfortunately now many of those people are returning the animals back to the shelters now that they are back at work. Totally inexcusable but it is happening. All that besides the normal summer overload of kittens coming into the shelter. That is a lot to deal with along with trying to keep the animals healthy. Every time we have visited Kitty City, the cats have been healthy and happy. Not depressed at all, the staff works hard to care for them and get to know them individually. Like I said every larger shelter and rescue group has a paid director now along with paid staff. Even PFOA locally and their staff and director are well worth it❤️
IRS forms say one thing. Bank statements answer questions along with credit card statements.
Along with anyone having authority to use them… you can determine unite costs buy good record keeping from an accounting firm!!! They find the leaks.
I disagree with this article. You can’t put a set price on each kennels cost. Some animals have high costs for their veterinary care. Veterinary prices have increased over the last few years and so have animal surrenders to shelter nationwide, ours included.
Working there is a hard, stressful underpaid job. They are trying to prevent having to euthanize animals like the old way at animal shelters. Transferring animals to other shelters who can help and taking in animals from other shelters when possible helps accomplish saving lives.
I suggest that the writer goes to shelter and volunteers some time to see what it is actually like there before passing judgement.
It is all about the animals and not the politics.
Thanks Linda, I have 18 rescue animals right now. Since OPHS suspended their volunteer training program, I can't volunteer. However, I have experience being a taxpayer and I have expectations of communication and transparency that OPHS did not meet.
I don't need to work in the Whitehouse to ask reasonable questions of federal government, and I don't need to volunteer at an animal shelter to get an answer of price per kennel.
Indeed Jeff - you are a wonderful example of a generous heart - you looked at your own resources and decided to take in those critters who are now thriving on your land - granted, not everyone has the ability to do this and THANK you!!!
NOW - when will you take me in??
Are you housebroken yet?
Almost 😅!!
But now that I'm approaching "that age" - all of the training could be reversed! :)
Thank you for having rescue animals, it’s wonderful to hear that. I still stand by what I said about every animal having different needs and health costs. Animals aren’t the same as a product manufactured by a business.