PORT ANGELES – The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS) will reopen its Bark House shelter on March 1 after overcoming a year of challenges, including budget concerns and the resignation of the executive director.

Board President and Acting Executive Director Paul Stehr-Green says overcrowding, disease outbreaks, and financial struggles have strained the organization. The pandemic significantly disrupted operations, creating a ripple effect.

“Last year was a challenging one. Coming out of the pandemic, many people who had adopted pets while staying home found they could no longer care for them. As a result, we had an overwhelming number of animals in both the dog facility and the county shelter. This led to increased costs for food and veterinary care. Overcrowding also contributed to disease outbreaks, which further strained our resources. At the same time, donations declined as people focused on their own financial needs. Honestly, I don’t know where the next dollar is going to come from,” Stehr-Green told Newsradio KONP’s Todd Ortloff Show.

Bark House had been closed, but it has since undergone deep cleaning, along with the installation of new walls, doors, and enhanced safety features—such as specialized doors that allow staff to move dogs outside without direct contact. To curb the spread of disease, OPHS has also implemented strict new intake procedures.

Michelle “Red” Parsons is leading the refurbishing efforts. She says the number of dogs taken in will be limited at first.

“The reality is, we’re going to start slow. We can only take in a limited number of dogs at first—we can’t just place them anywhere. Initially, we’ll accept a maximum of seven dogs. Once they complete their quarantine period, they can move to the adoption row, and from there, we can gradually start cycling in more,” Parsons said.

OPHS is expanding volunteer opportunities and foster care programs to ease shelter capacity. Volunteers can help socialize animals, take dogs on outings, or provide temporary homes.