PORT ANGELES — Clallam County is moving to end part of its animal control services agreement, citing ongoing issues with its current provider.
The Sheriff’s Office told commissioners it has relied on the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society since April of last year to house and care for dangerous dogs—but says that relationship has broken down.
Undersheriff Loraine Shore told commissioners the county has run into, in her words, “a lack of communication or responsiveness to discuss service issues…”
“We wrote a very, very good letter to the OPHS explaining that we’re no longer going to continue with our contract with them. The services just are not providing what we need, and we have found an organization that will be able to provide what we need in the future for our deputies and out community,” Shore told commissioners in a work session this week.
The county is now moving to terminate that contract under a public convenience clause, with formal approval expected from commissioners.
In its place, the county is preparing a new agreement with RISE Rescue Alliance. Under that proposal, RISE would provide secure holding for dogs in custody, including those deemed dangerous, along with daily care, behavioral monitoring, and access to veterinary services.
The facility would include secure kennels, controlled exercise areas, and 24-hour coordinated access for deputies, with dogs typically held anywhere from a few days up to several weeks depending on the case.
County officials say the goal is to improve coordination, documentation, and overall reliability in how animal control cases are handled moving forward.