By Pepper Fisher

CLALLAM COUNTY – The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of owner-surrender dog applications received in the last five weeks, and officials there are attributing the problem largely to the pandemic.

Most of the dogs are young, born during in the last two years, and many have behavioral issues. OPHS Executive Director Luanne Hinkle describes the recent volume of requests for surrender as a tsunami.

“We always have surrenders, obviously, but there were a lot of people that adopted dogs during Covid, and the natural phenomena is now that people have gone back to work. Not only are the numbers amplified, but the amount of training that is necessary to, kind of, get these animals up to snuff where people want to adopt them. So, there’s a lot of training issues that we are facing now, as well. Let’s put it that way.”

Hinkle says it’s to the point where they’ve reached capacity to accept any new animals.

“It’s extremely difficult when there’s no downtime, so to speak, or no open kennels, and we have to tell people, “I’m sorry, we can’t take a surrender right now.” Because when people get to the point, Pepper, when they want to surrender an animal, they’re ready and they want to do it now. And then they get mad at us because we can’t take the dog immediately. So, and they take it out on staff. I mean, we certainly are here to take surrenders, but, you know, people have to be patient with us if we don’t have room, too.”

Hinkle says, short of adopting an animal, there is a way that the public can help the situation.

“So, the biggest volunteers that we need are people that are volunteering to foster the dogs. Even if it’s for a week or two. Because getting them into a home environment, even for a little bit of time, is extremely helpful, relieves their anxiety, gets them used to other people. Fostering doesn’t have to be a long-haul situation for a family.”

You can find out more about fostering a pet by visiting the website at ophumanesociety.org.