YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash.- Cities in the Lower Yakima Valley are responsible for bringing stray and abandoned animals to the Yakima Humane Society, after contracts between the parties was recently renewed and modified.
Before the update, YHS employees would patrol the streets in cities like Sunnyside, Granger and Toppenish. Now, the employees from each municipality will be picking up animals and transporting them to the Humane Society.
“Some of those Lower Valley residents have seen our officers when they saw a person driving around,” said YHS Adoption Center Manager, Kelli Peal. “They will still be represented by those cities, and the animals will still come here, the only difference is the employees will no longer be ours, they’ll be represented by the city.”
The trend of abandoned and stray animals is not a new one for the Lower Valley. Holly White, a Sunnyside resident, says she’s often had animals dropped onto her farm property with no notice.
“I’ve never seen anything like I’ve seen here,” said White. “I’ve been here about seven years, and it is absolutely disgusting the strays and the animals that are dumped constantly.”
The Humane Society is hoping the new contracts will open an avenue for animals to be rehomed, while also addressing the overpopulation issue when animals aren’t spayed or neutered.
White has friends who she says are taking the time out of their own day to rescue animals and find a shelter for them. Unfortunately, they are often required to transport the animals out of Central Washington.
“They’ve called up to Seattle and they’re taking them because nobody else around here can take them because they’re full, and they’re only allowed so many on the property,” says White.
The Yakima Humane Society has been at capacity for months, according to Peal. While it may not affect the cities bringing in rescued animals, pet owners surrendering their animals have to find other options.
“While we’re still taking animals in from those municipalities, we are closed to intakes coming in, we are closed to owner surrenders from the public,” says Peal.
In place of accepting home surrenders, YHS is providing owners with resources on how to privately rehome animals. Home to Home is an online option, hosted by YHS, to connect prospective pet owners with someone looking to take one in.
