Past, Present, and Future

After witnessing the brutal beating of a horse on Front Street, Dr. Thomas Lamb Eliot took action. Gathering a group of 12 prominent Portlanders on November 17, 1868, he founded one of the first humane animal welfare organizations in the country. Initially the Society focused on the plight of draft animals but within a few years advocated for the protection of children and companion animals. In fact, OHS served as Oregon's child and animal protection organization from 1881 until 1933.

OHS Founder
Dr. Thomas Lamb Eliot

 

With the understanding that the only way to better the plight of animals was to educate humans about respect and empathy, OHS included humane education in its goals.

 

Since 1883, teaching children responsible stewardship towards all animals has been an integral part of OHS's mission. And this became part of Oregon's mandate to all children in public school. In 1921, one of OHS founders and state legislator, JK Gill, proposed and saw signed into law that humane education be taught in Oregon public schools. (ORS 336.067(1)(c))

 

Built in 1939

 

In 1916, OHS took over the city pound but dropped the contract in 1972. The reason: goals of the OHS were not consistent with the goals of an animal control agency.  Since that time, OHS has been a stand-alone, non-profit organization, operating without the assistance of government funding.

In 1918, OHS purchased the 10-acre parcel on Columbia Blvd. from which it now operates. This property is host to the oldest animal cemetery in the West. One of the most notable personalities buried in the cemetery is Bobbie of Silverton. This collie pup from Oregon went on a 1924 summer vacation with his family and unfortunately ended up lost in Indiana. The family was amazed when the lost dog returned home to Silverton six months later.

 

The original shelter constructed on Columbia Blvd. was lost a a fire in the late 1930s. A new facility was built in 1939 and housed the shelter's operations for sixty years.

 

 

Our new shelter opened in 2000.
Learn about construction details and
the capital campaign in OHS New
Shelter Project 2000 (PDF).

 

In June 2000, OHS opened the doors to a new state-of-the-art facility that stands on the site of the old shelter. The new shelter has the capacity to house over 200 cats and well over 100 dogs. 

 

Learn about the capital campaign that raised funds for the new shelter project, budgets, information about the corporate details about the building and other useful data in OHS New Shelter Project 2000 (PDF), prepared by Skanska USA Building.

 

In September 2007, OHS opened the Animal Medical Learning Center (AMLC) adjacent to the existing shelter.  The medical center is a state-of-the-art animal hospital that provides a full-range of medical services for all shelter animals. The new behavior center, open to the public, addresses the main reason why dogs come to shelter: frustrated owners who cannot deal with canine behavior.

 

We now serve the needs of over 11,500 animals each year. With over 100 staff members and a volunteer force of over 1,000,  OHS is dedicated to adopt 100 percent of the animals admitted to the shelter.

 

Building a community of compassion is our goal - through adoption of homeless pets, animal welfare legislation, humane education, abuse investigation, and community outreach and leadership.