Pooch lovers are being sought by the Kitsap Humane Society.
The shelter is seeking residents willing to temporarily open their homes to take in a shelter dog while renovations are made to the facility’s dog holding area. The upgrade work cuts shelter space for canines by half.
The area being remodeled is the oldest animal holding space on the KHS campus and is in dire need of a makeover to create a more calm and comfortable quarters for the resident large canines, said Mike Bush, director of communications for the shelter.
“We have a need for people who can foster big dogs because that’s the area that we’re renovating right now. What it consists of really is just taking a dog into your home, treating it as your own. We provide supplies like food, toys, leashes, dog bowls and any kind of medical care,” Bush said.
Work on the current holding area has begun and will continue through late October.
“The old holding area’s cement floors and older kennels are not very welcoming. Barks echo off the walls. It gets kind of loud in there,” Bush said.
During construction, KHS needs to find kennel space for the steady stream of stray canines brought to the shelter. The dogs needing temporary fostering during the project are large dogs, 40 pounds and up.
“We’re so excited to remake this space and grateful to the generous donors who are footing the bill,” said KHS co-executive director Jamie Nocula. “Unfortunately, however, we’ll be short more than two dozen kennels during the rebuild – a 50% reduction in kennel capacity – and need to find temporary homes for these pups. We’re hoping our wonderful Kitsap community can open their homes, if only for a short while.”
Improvements to the holding area include soundproofing the ceiling and walls to muffle barks, replacing the wire frames enclosures with glass walls to provide a more welcoming atmosphere for animals, and improving floors so they are easier to clean and more comfortable for the animals, Bush said.
Cost of the improvement project is $275,000 and is being underwritten by donations. Major contributors include ASPCA, Lou and Ellen Horwitz, The Lenore Hanauer Foundation, and The Hilderman Family Fund. McDonald’s Kennels, in Silverdale, and Peninsula Pet Lodges, in Gig Harbor, are helping KHS during construction by offering temporary boarding space for some canines.
In the month-and-a-half of construction, the KHS dog kennel area will be closed to the public and all dog adoptions will be by appointment only.
New strays
Shelter officials ask that while kennel space is limited, anyone finding a stray dog should hold on to the animal until it can be reunited with the owner.
“We are asking people to post something on social media or your neighborhood network that you found a lost dog or do it the old-fashioned way and post flyers around the neighborhood. We will provide help with that,” Bush said.
A microchip scanning station has been set up at the entrance of the shelter, where people can bring a stray and check for a microchip. A microchip can lead to information to contact the owner.
“We also have stray kits, where people (who found a stray) get a bed, kennel, leash, toys, food bowl, and food,” he said.
The Kitsap Humane Society, last year, took in 4,171 animals, including 1,423 dogs and puppies.
