Recently in News

Our Founder Featured Among 33 Inspiring Entrepreneurs

Steve Markwell, founder and executive director of Olympic Animal Sanctuary, is featured in IdeaMensch.com's list of 33 entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place. We're honored to have our work included among these truly exceptional individuals and their projects.

Posted on January 11, 2012 | Link

Meet Moose

A lot of people think we're a pit bull rescue or that we only take in dogs that bite -- that's not the case. We have our share of pit bulls from a variety of backgrounds and plenty of dogs with bite histories, but we work with dogs with all kinds of behavior issues, not just biting. We also transport animals and aid other rescues and individuals in placing dogs that have no significant behavior issues. The area where we most shine is in the socialization of fearful dogs. Read about our latest featured dog, Moose.

Posted on August 10, 2011 | Link

Who's Really Dangerous?

Steve's Indictment of Dangerous Dog Legislation

Unless you work in animal control, animal rescue, or your dog has gotten into trouble with the law, you might not know about dangerous/vicious dog legislation. In fact, many animal control and animal rescue workers know little or nothing about it, which I suppose is a good thing, since it points to the fact that dangerous dog cases don't come up all that often, even for people who deal with dogs for a living. I had my introduction to this type of legislation in 2008 when I became involved in a case in Michigan where Rogue, a Siberian husky, was accused of killing a neighbor's Shih-Tzu.

Click here to read the full entry.

Posted on April 26, 2011 | Link

Stand Up for Kaiser

Recently Olympic Animal Sanctuary offered to take ownership of dog named Kaiser in Ellensburg, Washington after a bite incident put him on the shelter's hit list. Ellensburg opted to kill the dog instead. Click here to read the story.

We'd like to respond to Ellensburg's lies and excuses for killing Kaiser. First, the article states that the City declared Kaiser "potentially dangerous" under state law, but then refers to him as a dog that has been declared "dangerous". The impression is given in the article that the terms 'dangerous' and 'potentially dangerous' are being used interchangeably by the Ellensburg Police Department, but they are not the same thing. According to the Revised Code of Washington, potentially dangerous dogs have to be kept indoors, leashed, or in a fenced yard. Failure to comply will result in the dog being declared dangerous. Dangerous dogs must be kept indoors, on leash with a muzzle, or in a secure pen with a fully enclosed top and a secure floor, usually of concrete. In addition, warning signs must be posted around the property, the dog must be specially licensed, and the owner of the dog must possess a liability insurance policy or a surety bond meeting the state's minimum requirements. Olympic Animal Sanctuary meets all of the state's requirements for keeping dogs that have been declared dangerous, and we have several already, two of which were declared under the Revised Code of Washington and others that were declared under local and county ordinances, or in other states, including Michigan, California, and Tennessee. None of these dogs have ever gone on to injure anyone after entering the Sanctuary's custody, and there is no reason to believe that Kaiser would have either. EPD could have kept its obligation to the public and allowed Kaiser to live, and if there was any question, they could have spoken to one of our officers in the Forks Police Department, who, thanks to us, are more familiar with dangerous dog requirements than most departments in other cities.

Second, Ellensburg's City Attorney states that the standard transfer agreement we sent the city for review did not transfer full ownership or liability to Olympic Animal Sanctuary. This is simply not true, and even if it was, we invited the city to make any changes they deemed necessary. But you decide; here are the relevant clauses from our standard contract:

" The Client shall release all rights of ownership and transfer into the custody of the Sanctuary the animal(s) described herein ... "

and

"The Client shall not be legally or otherwise responsible for any incident(s) involving the animal(s) after the physical transfer of custody to the Sanctuary or its agent(s), including but not limited to injury or death caused to human beings or domestic animals and damage to property."

And remember, if they didn't like the terms, we welcomed them to change them. Here is a direct quote from the email accompanying the contract that we sent to Animal Shelter Manager Paula Hake: "This is our standard agreement, but if you need to make changes feel free and I can go over them with you later today." I also made this offer over the phone.

We believe that the City of Ellensburg had no interest in letting Kaiser live, despite having a perfectly legal and responsible course of action that would have resulted in placement of the dog into a facility specializing in caring for dogs with histories of dangerous behavior and dogs with legal restrictions placed on them. We believe Ellensburg was humoring us, allowing us to think they were considering our offer while they killed Kaiser in secret before we could file an injunction to try to save him. We consider this behavior underhanded and cowardly, not to mention totally unnecessary. But forget what we think, tell the City of Ellensburg what you think. Click here to sign our petition.

Posted on February 11, 2011 | Link

Clearwater Hounds Update

It's been three months since I first stepped out of my truck into the mud and filth that the Clearwater Hounds called home; since their rescue the dogs have made steady progress, and while they still have a lot of work ahead of them, I'm happy to report that the girls are happy, gaining confidence every day, and are perhaps healthier than they have been in their entire lives. All four dogs were spayed and vaccinated two weeks ago, finally healthy enough to undergo the procedures.

Mabel continues to be the easiest of the four to handle, although she still prefers to only go outside for a few minutes at a time. During her spay operation, Mabel had a tumor removed from her side and a second one removed from one of her ovaries; thankfully, and somewhat to my surprise, both masses were benign. As she continues to gain weight and her fur grows back, after perhaps years of battling an awful skin infection, Mabel loves her socialization with the Sanctuary staff. She seems to be more tolerant of other dogs as well, and perhaps soon she'll be able to socialize with some of the the other hounds who live here. We will continue to work with Mabel to help her enjoy the outdoors, but we won't push her too hard - if she'd prefer to stay inside, that's her choice.

The other three girls have been named: Lila is the biggest of the group, Betsy is the mother dog, and Rudy is the puppy. Lila has made the most progress of the three; she calmly approaches staff and visitors to seek affection. This gives Rudy the confidence to interact with people as well, although she has a difficult time being calm - not surprising for a puppy. Betsy remains somewhat timid and independent, but all three younger dogs happily follow our staff around the yard, take treats from our hands, and Rudy has even shown some interest in chasing a ball. Even though they are alert and easily spooked, when the dogs are outside they are all about having fun: running and chasing each other, sniffing the ground and the air, and taking an occasional dip in the pond. One of the rare benefits the Sanctuary provides is the stability these girls feel in being kept together; every so often, two or three dogs arrive here that are very bonded to one another, and we opt to keep them together to minimize their stress and help them to feel safer. Most rescues have to split dogs up to increase their chances of adoption, but we feel that in the case of the Clearwater Hounds, this would be highly traumatic, and since we're a permanent placement facility, we don't have to even consider it. We're happy that we can keep their family together as they undergo continued rehabilitation, become more confident and outgoing, and forget the time in their lives when they were chained in their own waste, rife with infection, and stinking from substandard nutrition.

Construction on the new wing of our building that will house the hounds was delayed by an unexpected complication in the form of a sinkhole we uncovered while installing a drainage system in our yard, but we have gotten back on track with the project and expect to have the outer shell of the building completed within a couple of weeks, weather permitting. The roof is going up this week. The ongoing retrofitting and improvement of our building ensures that we are able to provide ever-better housing and care for the dogs that have their home with us.
You can help us by continuing to support the Clearwater Hounds through Causes.com, by donating through our website, or you can mail your donation to Olympic Animal Sanctuary, 1021 Russell Road, Forks, WA 98331.

Thanks so much to all of you for your support for these special dogs over the last three months, and we hope you'll continue to help us erase the horrors of their past and give them the lives that all dogs deserve.

Steve Markwell

Posted on February 1, 2011 | Link

The Clearwater Hounds

A Clearwater man passed away last week, and left behind four Walker coonhounds and an orange tomcat. Clearwater isn't so much a town as it is an 'area' in western Jefferson County, near the Gray's Harbor County line, around an hour's drive from Forks. The area has a few homes, a lot of commercial timberland, a minimum security prison nearby, and a fair number of people living in travel trailers and other forms of less permanent housing in the woods.

Normally this is the kind of thing that an animal control agency would respond to, but since Jefferson County Animal Services continually refuses to provide animal control in the west half of the county, the area's single Sheriff's deputy and other local residents were left to deal with the situation. Based on past experience, we have good reason to believe that JCAS would have only killed the dogs anyway, so it was for the best that they weren't involved. A local Good Samaritan contacted Patt Doyle, owner of Pampurred Pet Care in Forks, stating that the dogs were chained, lacked adequate shelter, and that he was unable to approach them. Additionally he stated that one of the dogs was old and sick and would need to be euthanized. Patt visited the site and reported the same conditions, but that the older dog might not be as sick as the man believed.

While short on space, Olympic Animal Sanctuary responded, believing that the dogs would be better off kept temporarily in crates and walked for exercise than to stay any longer in their current situation. The following is Steve's journal:

Day 1, October 22, 2010:

I went with Darcy Gray, a volunteer from Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, down to Clearwater to see the hounds for the first time. Darcy brought a camera to photograph the rescue. There were three, rusted and rotted out travel trailers and a couple of broken down trucks, with piles of lumber, firewood, tires, and debris scattered around the property. Two dogs were chained to trees, one was chained to the tire of a rusty truck, and the older dog's chain seemed to disappear into the ground. All four dogs were living in mud, feces, and urine, with no ability to escape the filth. One dog had a rotten plywood box with no floor for a shelter, one had a plastic dog house, one had only a truck to hide under, and the older dog had a rusty steel drum, open at both ends, with rainwater flowing through it.

The dogs were all extremely fearful; some were snarling and lunging. The old dog was particularly confrontational, made more problematic by a longer chain than the others had. I started with a small dog that had the plastic house; she was chained close to the dog under the truck, and the two seemed to have an attachment to each other. As I slowly took hold of her chain and worked my way closer to her, the dog became stiff; I was able to put a leash over her head and cut off her collar with a pair of shears, and had little trouble walking her to a crate and coaxing her into it. The dog under the truck was much more fearful and tried very hard to escape, so rather than leashing her, I attached a chain leash to the chain she was already on, so that I would have a handle to hold onto after I cut her existing chain from the truck. She was harder to handle, but I was able to get her into another crate.

Next came the largest dog with the wood shelter, who had been giving Darcy a hard time whenever she turned her back. When I drew close she became much quieter, and I was able to leash her and cut off her collar like I had done with the first dog. I had come expecting the dogs to be less fearful and easier to handle, so I only brought three carriers, planning to allow one to remain loose in the covered bed of the truck; since I needed one more carrier than I had, I put the dog into the cab of one of the trucks on the property until we were ready to load up and leave.

The old dog was the most challenging to deal with; she was protective of her area and it took close to half an hour to get her into a crate. I could have done this more quickly, but did not want to injure or stress the dog. I opted to leave her chain attached and cut it the way I had done with the dog under the truck, and then by stringing it through the door and out one of the holes in the side of the crate, I was able to gently pull her in without making the experience more traumatic than it needed to be. Once her front feet were in, she walked in the rest of the way voluntarily.

Darcy and I loaded the three crated dogs into the truck and I was able to get the last dog to walk up a ramp into the bed of the truck with a little coaxing. The next task was to catch the orange tomcat, who had access to one of the trailers by walking up a 2x4 and entering through an open window. After seeing that the cat was inside the trailer, I shut the window and set a live trap in the hallway that separated the front section from the back, being the only part of the trailer that wasn't cluttered with garbage. I baited the trap and barricaded the trailer door shut with an old tire, as the latch was broken and I feared the cat might push the door open and escape. With the hounds gone, it would be especially important to get the cat out of there before it was discovered by any predators the dogs would have otherwise scared away.

With the cat trap set, we left for the Sanctuary; the dogs were given water and left in the truck for the night, happy to be out of the rain for a change. Due to their extreme fear, I felt it was better not to handle them until I was ready to move them inside, and we had a veterinary appointment the following morning.

Day 2, October 23, 2010:

The dogs were noticeably calmer in the morning, appearing to feel the way one does after an especially restful night of sleep. We returned to Clearwater to check the cat trap, and I was happy to see that I'd caught the tomcat. I put the trap in the back seat of the truck and returned to the Sanctuary, where I transferred the cat to a more comfortable carrier; he was happy to be held and it was immediately clear that he would be adoptable, so I began searching for rescue placement for him.

From there we were off to see our veterinarian. We picked up Darcy again so she could continue taking photos. Dr. Tyler and the staff at Greywolf Veterinary Hospital in Sequim did an excellent job with the dogs, and as usual, they were happy to accommodate a somewhat out of the ordinary request, that we examine the dogs inside a fenced area behind the clinic to minimize their stress.

We looked at the dog from the plastic dog house first; Dr. Tyler palpated her abdomen, which had appeared distended, but thankfully found nothing abnormal. Her collar had done some damage, and drawing fluid from a mass on the dog's neck revealed it to be a hematoma that will dissipate over time. Next we examined the large dog that had been left loose in the truck; apart from some lesions on her posterior, she appeared to be in good health.

We examined the old dog next, and found, not surprisingly, quite a few problems. In addition to obvious alopecia, she had several masses, lesions, and sores, and was of course extremely underweight. She did, however, allow herself to be handled much more easily than she had the day before, and we were able to remove her collar without much trouble. The collar had been digging into her skin for years, and when we cut it away we found that it was caked with pus and hair. Before we returned her to her crate, the dog was given vitamin injections to kick start her recovery. Lab work revealed the source of the dog's alopecia to be yeast and bacteria, and the doctor prescribed antifungals and antibiotics to address both issues. Surprisingly a stool sample yielded no intestinal parasites, so there was at least one piece of good news.

Finally, we looked at the dog that had lived under the truck, and found that she was also underweight and in need of vitamins. She had two collars, which we removed, finding that one of them had been so worn from the strain of her pulling against her chain that the metal ring on the collar had eroded away. Imagine how long it must have taken to wear through an eighth-inch steel ring, and the pain the dog must have felt as she pulled, until she finally broke free, only to have a second collar fastened around her neck, and the first one never removed.

Because they had been living in feces and exposed to the elements for perhaps years, we assumed all four girls to have compromised immune systems, and opted not to vaccinate them until they had some time to recover.

The Forks Police Department graciously allowed us to place the cat temporarily in the city shelter until we can find rescue placement for him. Back at the Sanctuary, I set up crates for the girls in an out of the way area and filled them with straw bedding, and brought the dogs inside one by one. The old dog's damaged skin had begun to bleed, but it didn't appear serious. I don't know if the hounds had ever spent a night indoors before; I set up a space heater, gave the old dog her pills, and gave each of them a water dish before turning in for the night. I decided not to feed the dogs yet, my concern being that they would be too nervous to eat, or at least to keep their food down.

Day 3, October 24, 2010:

I took the dogs outside, one at a time, and walked them around the front yard for a few minutes each; they are extremely shy, but they are beginning to come out of their shells. A few of them even wag their tails a bit when I approach. Surprisingly, the old dog, who I've decided to name Mabel, seems to have warmed up to me the fastest, despite being the most difficult to deal with in Clearwater. After their short trips in the yard, I gave each of them a small piece of pork to eat, and when I returned awhile later I found that all of them had eaten what they were given. Mabel continued to take her pills encased in balls of cheese, and the dogs become more comfortable with my comings and goings. We took a few more trips outside throughout the day, and from here, we'll work on establishing a routine and getting the dogs used to being leashed and going in and out.

Day 4, October 25, 2010:

We continued to work on leashing up and going in and out of the building today, and the dogs continue to become more comfortable with me. It's interesting how the dog that was easiest to handle in Clearwater, the one with the plastic dog house, remains the most timid here at the Sanctuary, while Mabel now barks at me to take her out of her crate and is taking her medication out of my hand. Seeing that some of the hounds seemed to respond positively to each other, I let all of them out of their crates to watch how they interacted. All seemed to get along except for Mabel, who set herself about the task of intimidating the other three by following them into their crates, leaning on them, and growling. The shy dog and the dog from under the truck seem especially close, and I suspect they are mother and daughter; I'm now thinking the dog from the truck may be under a year old.

I fed all of the dogs larger pieces of pork than they received the night before, which they each happily accepted and began eating right away. Tomorrow I will add a blend of pureed raw eggs and vegetables to their diet.

Day 5, October 26, 2010:

The dogs are continuing to progress in inches; old Mabel went outside without a leash today and returned indoors and to her crate without any pressure from me. The other dogs continue to be shy, but they are eating well and getting better with the routine. They are also becoming more territorial in their crates, which is not necessarily a good thing, but it does show that they are becoming more confident and feeling more at home. Since the crates are a temporary arrangement, the behavior isn't worth addressing, and interestingly enough, it has only been significant when I have brought other hounds through the room where they are staying - when the wolf-dogs walk through or when I feed Moose, an old chow mix in the same room, they are fairly quiet.

I started taking the puppy and the dog I believe to be her mother out at the same time; I haven't yet decided if they are calmer when they're together or if they make each other more nervous. The puppy is warming up to me, though, licking my hand and becoming a bit excited each time she sees me.

This will be the last of my daily entries. I will write more when there is significant news to report, or when there are more photos.

Posted on October 26, 2010 | Link

Zoom to the Rescue! Live Streaming

Saturday, September 25th, at 2 PM, Steve will be speaking to guests at the Zoom Room in Culver City, CA, but you don't have to be in California to attend the event. We will be streaming the presentation live, and you can even ask Steve questions live in our chat room. Click here to watch on UStream and access the chat feature.

Posted on September 19, 2010 | Link

Meet Steve in Los Angeles

Posted on August 17, 2010 | Link

Special Thanks

BeauJes Dog Training and Boarding and Best Friend Nutrition in Sequim, WA, have been working hard to help your pets stay healthy, mentally and physically, but along the way they've helped the dogs at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, too. Judith Bell of BeauJes has raised money for the Sanctuary from her clients, and Best Friend, besides giving us a great discount on our food and supplies, has taken donations for us as well. We want to thank both BeauJes and Best Friend for their ongoing support, and request that you take a few moments to visit their websites:

Posted on July 5, 2010 | Link

American Dog Magazine

Click here to read Steve's article in American Dog Magazine's Summer 2010 issue:

Posted on June 6, 2010 | Link

Dogs Matter

Click here to read Dogs Matter, an article by Olympic Animal Sanctuary founder and executive director, Steve Markwell.

Posted on April 7, 2010 | Link

People Magazine Article

Click the photo to read about Olympic Animal Sanctuary on People Magazine's PeoplePets.com website:

Posted on March 29, 2010 | Link

Shelter of the Week

SPCA International has awarded Olympic Animal Sanctuary their Shelter of the Week award, thanks to the many nominations we've received from the public. We are very grateful to those who nominated us as well as to SPCA International, not only for the $1,000 grant that came with the award, but for their being willing to support a less traditional animal welfare organization such as ours. Many grant makers and animal welfare groups do not support the work of sanctuaries, preferring to focus on organizations that conduct adoptions or provide low cost spay/neuter or veterinary assistance, but we all play a part for the greater good, for the animals and the people who care about them. We want to acknowledge SPCA International's leadership in bringing this to the attention of their members and website visitors.

Posted on January 27, 2010 | Link

We Save Dogs Snakes You'd Rather See Dead?

When you think of Olympic Animal Sanctuary, you probably think of pit bulls, but the truth is we're not a pit bull rescue. We're not even strictly a dog rescue; since the very beginning our mission has been to provide sanctuary to all types of animals. We may not have the facility required to house tigers or elephants (not yet, anyway) but we've always had reptiles here. Our latest rescue is this ten-foot Burmese python, shown sleeping on her new basking shelf in the sixty square foot enclosure she shares with a pond full of aquatic turtles.

Our stance on the reptile trade is that snakes and all other reptiles are wild animals and should not be bought, sold, imported, exported, bred or otherwise exploited for the pet trade. Millions of reptiles enter the United States every year, millions more are exported, and breeding for the exotic pet trade is ever on the rise. Most disturbing is the breeding of 'designer reptiles' -- animals selected for unnatural patterns and colors that would be a death sentence in the wild. Also alarming is the popularity of giant species, like the python above who might one day reach twenty feet in length, and venomous species, often referred to by hobbyists as 'hot'. Unfortunately, because their care is so much more involved than that of the average dog or cat, most captive reptiles die long before their time.

We understand why people are fascinated by reptiles, and if you are qualified to care for them in your home, we encourage you to get involved in reptile rescue, just like the people who saved our python did. The children who originally purchased her tried to hide her from their parents, but one day when she escaped from the box they kept her in, mom and dad found her and tried to chop her in half. Fortunately she survived and a loving family in Eatonville, WA nursed her to health and cared for her until they felt she would soon be too large for them to safely keep her. They did the responsible thing and found placement for her before she became a problem. Here at the Sanctuary she enjoys all the things snakes love: warm basking sites, dark hiding places, the occasional swim, and a big meal every few weeks.

Posted on January 10, 2010 | Link

IdeaMensch.com Interview

Check out Steve's latest interview at IdeaMensch.com.

Posted on December 24, 2009 | Link

LA Times Article

A huge thank you to Kim Murphy of the Los Angeles Times for her article about Olympic Animal Sanctuary. The article appears on the front page of the newspaper for Friday, December 11. If you don't receive the paper, you can read the article on the LA Times website.

Posted on December 10, 2009 | Link

Seattle Humane Fundraising Event

The presentation at Seattle Humane on November 10 was a success, and we want to thank Seattle Humane CEO Brenda Barnette, Marketing Director Rhonda Manville, and all the staff and volunteers from Seattle Humane who helped walk dogs, clean crates, and make the event run smoothly. We raised a grand total of $2,537.60 that will be used for facility improvements. Special thanks also to Amber Chenoweth for photographing the event.

Posted on November 11, 2009 | Link

Norton

Norton came from a rescue group in Kitsap County, where he was originally brought to them very sick and starving; we believe Norton is a very high content wolf-dog, meaning he is not a pure wolf, but he might as well be. The rescue was initially told that he was a wolf mix but very low content, however the healthier he got, the more 'wolfy' he looked, and it eventually became clear that Norton was never going to pass for a dog. The rescue was unable to keep him legally in their area, so Olympic Animal Sanctuary's help was sought.

Wolf-dogs are popular 'pets' in the US and Canada, however their wild nature makes them unsuitable as pets and potentially dangerous. It is Olympic Animal Sanctuary's stance that no wolf-dog should ever be made available to the public, and wolf-dogs should never be bred for any reason. For many, wolves hold a mystical, spiritual allure that makes people feel they need to possess or commune with these animals, but that essential wildness that attracts us to them is tragically lost in captivity.

Norton is enjoying his first day at the Sanctuary, making friends with our huskies and malamutes. He is especially interested in Micah, our blue-eyed wolf/husky mix -- Micah doesn't look like a wolf, but Norton seems to know there's something different about him.

Posted on November 6, 2009 | Link

Fox News Interview

This video is no longer available on Q13's server; check back for more videos coming soon.

Posted on October 24, 2009 | Link

Seattle Fundraiser: November 10

Click to view with Adobe Reader:

Posted on October 16, 2009 | Link

Hoh Reservation Rescue

Friday, October 9, Steve was brought a six week old puppy that had been born on the Hoh reservation, about thirty miles south of Forks in Jefferson County; the next day, he went to 'the rez' with Patt Doyle from Friends of Forks Animals to catch the rest of the puppies and their mother, who had been 'semi-feral' all her life and had killed other dogs. The mother dog had originally come from Queets, on the Quinault reservation, south of Kalaloch, but was brought to the Hoh reservation where she continued to run wild.

When Steve and Patt arrived at Hoh housing, they found the mother right away, sleeping on a driveway next to a male rottweiler who is most likely the father of some, if not all, of her litter. The puppies were in the woods behind the house, where their mother was keeping them in a den beneath an old tree stump. There were quite a few hollow logs that they were also hiding inside. The forests on the western side of the Olympic Peninsula are damp and dense, not unlike a tropical rain forest, with a few exceptions: the thorns on the plants are shorter, and it takes much longer for wood and leaf litter to decompose. Moving about in this environment can be a challenge.

When Steve approached the den site, the puppies were out in plain view; there were scraps of deer and elk carcasses, dead birds, and garbage scattered around, and the dogs looked healthy and well-fed. As Steve approached, the puppies hid in their den and inside a hollow log. He had originally been told that there were four puppies remaining, but he and Patt caught six, Steve pulling them out of their hiding places and handing them off to Patt to carry back to the truck. The first three came from a hollow log, and the next two from the den under the tree stump. The last puppy, shown in the series of images below, had initially been in the hollow log, but had run to the den before Steve could catch him; then, when Steve began pulling the puppies from the den, he ran down the inside of a rotted-out tree root, about eight feet. Steve was able to pull apart the root and coax the puppy back toward the den, where he eventually captured him. Having not been handled by human beings before, all of the puppies were frightened and defensive, but at their age they learn very quickly not to fear people. It was crucial that the puppies be caught as soon as possible, before they could become truly feral.

The first 11 images below were shot on-site with a camera phone; the rest were taken later.

A view of the terrain	Steve approaching the den	Making his way through the dry brush	Crawling under the stump to access the den
	Pulling the last puppy from the den as he bites Steve's hand	The little guy was very afraid and put up quite a fight.	Steve sat with him for about five minutes until he was calm before crawling back out of the den area.
Back through the brush			Safe in the crate with his six sisters
Mom got to ride up front.	Mom and puppies at Olympic Animal Sanctuary -- two have already been adopted, including the little boy from the pictures above.

Steve reports that mother and puppies are doing well; when he went into their room Sunday morning and lay on the ground, the mother dog began licking his face, and some of the babies joined in. The mother will stay at Olympic Animal Sanctuary; her history of killing other dogs and propensity for running at large make her a poor candidate for adoption. The remaining puppies will go to a local rescue group for adoption; for more information, contact us.

Animal welfare work can be a challenge on tribal lands; cultural differences and often-tricky political situations can lead to missteps and misunderstandings when rescue groups try to help 'rez dogs'. Because Native American lands are under federal jurisdiction, county animal ordinances do not apply, and animal control officers have no authority to respond to cruelty and neglect complaints. Since only federal and tribal laws apply on the reservations, it is common to see situations that would be illegal just a few miles away; federal law pertains primarily to commercial breeding operations, not to pets. Unchecked breeding, mange, starvation, and parvo and distemper outbreaks are a few of the more common problems. It is the position of Olympic Animal Sanctuary that any rescue work conducted on tribal lands must be undertaken with respect for residents' culture, history, and rights. The people best equipped to affect positive change in animal welfare on Native American lands are Native Americans, who understand the structure and customs of their own communities. We are guests, and as such, we can only do what is requested of us. We hope to continue to cultivate relationships with members of the tribes in our area for the purpose of supporting them in their efforts to improve the quality of life for animals on their native lands.

Posted on October 11, 2009 | Link

Snaps FAQ

1. What happened to Snaps?
   
2. How did Olympic Animal Sanctuary get Snaps?
   
3. Where was Snaps before the Sanctuary rescued him?
   
4. Is Snaps vicious/aggressive/dangerous?
   
5. Why rescue a dog like Snaps when there are so many nice pit bulls that need homes?
   
6. What will Snaps' life be like at the Sanctuary?
   
7. Can I adopt Snaps?
   
8. How can I help Snaps and the other dogs at Olympic Animal Sanctuary?

1. What happened to Snaps? Snaps belonged to a 15-year-old girl who was violent and abusive; in June, 2009, the girl and three, younger boys were seen in SeaTac, WA, kicking Snaps. When a concerned citizen confronted the children, they attacked her, and one of the boys dragged Snaps into the fight, kicking him until he bit the woman. The police were called and the children ran away, but another witness followed them. They assaulted her as well, and once again, used the dog in their attack. The second victim was hospitalized. Snaps was confiscated and held as evidence for about two and a half months at an animal shelter, where he was regarded as highly dangerous. Because he was not allowed to leave his kennel, Snaps became stressed and defensive. His behavior was assessed by representatives of two different organizations, but because Snaps wasn't removed from his kennel, the results of the evaluations were not viable. Despite the recommendations of the so-called experts that Snaps should be killed, a group of dedicated advocates fought to save his life. Petitions were circulated, phone calls were made, and the local government took notice and mandated that Snaps be placed in an animal sanctuary. (back to top)

2. How did Olympic Animal Sanctuary get Snaps? After Snaps had been in evidence for about two months, one of his advocates was referred to Olympic Animal Sanctuary by a representative from Best Friends Animal Society. The Sanctuary was asked if they would take Snaps in the event that a certified behaviorist was able to determine that he could be rehabilitated; director Steve Markwell said that he would be more interested if the dog was determined to be a lost cause. Steve was invited to visit Snaps at the shelter to assess him, however he did not conduct an assessment, feeling that the shelter environment would corrupt any conclusion he could draw about the dog's behavior. Steve agreed to take Snaps, and on September 11, 2009, he was transferred to Olympic Animal Sanctuary. (back to top)

3. Where was Snaps before the Sanctuary rescued him? Part of the Sanctuary's transfer agreement with the shelter where Snaps was being kept was that we would not make any mention of their organization on our website without their prior approval. Even though the clause was not legally enforceable, and we aren't accustomed to letting others tell us what we can and can't say on our own website, we've opted not to mention the shelter by name. It should be fairly easy for you to find out with a little research. (back to top)

4. Is Snaps vicious/aggressive/dangerous? Words like 'vicious' and 'aggressive' are used by people to describe behavior that they don't understand. We do not believe in such a thing as a vicious or aggressive dog, only fearful, confused, and misunderstood dogs. We believe that there are no dangerous dogs, only dangerous situations. In King County, the term 'vicious dog' is a legal designation; Snaps was declared vicious and is therefore banned from King County, however the vicious dog declaration did not follow him once he was removed from the county. Under the Revised Code of Washington and the Forks Municipal Code, a dog is not considered dangerous unless it bites when unprovoked; Snaps does not meet the definition of a dangerous dog because he was kicked and goaded into biting. It is our opinion that he does not meet the definition of a vicious dog in King County, either, however there is no reason for us to appeal the declaration because the dog will never return to King County anyway. Had Snaps been declared dangerous under state law, Olympic Animal Sanctuary would still have been able to take him, as we meet all of the legal requirements for housing dogs that have been declared dangerous, including appropriate enclosures and liability insurance. Legal designations aside, Snaps is a sweet dog who has been terribly abused and it will take time for him to learn to trust human beings, but if we were to conduct a temperament assessment with no knowledge of the dog's history, based only on his behavior in our environment, we would determine Snaps to be an adoptable dog. However, in light of his history, we do expect there to be a few behavior issues that become apparent as he becomes comfortable with his new surroundings; how severe these issues will be remains to be seen, but they will likely be fairly minor. (back to top)

5. Why rescue a dog like Snaps when there are so many nice pit bulls that need homes? Our skills would be wasted on 'easy dogs', and to suggest that one dog is more deserving of rescue than another because of its behavior assumes that dogs are morally culpable for their actions. We think that's insane. We fill an important niche by providing a home for dogs that can't be placed into a traditional home environment. If you are concerned about the adoptable dogs that are languishing in animal shelters, we encourage you to adopt one, become a foster caregiver, or even start a rescue group of your own. (back to top)

6. What will Snaps' life be like at the Sanctuary? Snaps will enjoy human companionship, plenty of exercise, a healthy, homemade diet, and if he can handle it, socialization with other dogs. There has been speculation that Snaps will be kept in intensive confinement with very little enrichment or interaction with people - this is simply not the case. (back to top)

7. Can I adopt Snaps? No. We are not an adoption organization, and due to the terms of our contract on Snaps' behalf, we will be caring for him for the rest of his life. If you are looking for a dog to adopt, there are millions of them available, and they all need care and nurturing just as much as Snaps does. (back to top)

8. How can I help Snaps and the other dogs at Olympic Animal Sanctuary? You can help Snaps by spreading the word about us and giving our website a link on your homepage or weblog; you can make a donation; you can buy something from our store; if you want to volunteer, click here. (back to top)

Posted on September 13, 2009 | Link

Welcome Home, Snaps

Last June a group of teenagers were seen kicking a dog in SeaTac, Washington, and when witnesses confronted them, they used the dog to attack them. The story made headlines, and for poor Snaps, it looked like the end of the road.

But luckily for him, people took notice of his story, and fought to keep him from being destroyed. A couple of weeks ago, Olympic Animal Sanctuary was asked if we would take Snaps, should a temperament assessment show that he could be rehabilitated. We said we'd be more interested in taking him if the behaviorist thought he was beyond help. Thursday, September 3, Executive Director Steve Markwell went to visit Snaps in the shelter, and Friday, September 11, Snaps was transferred to the Sanctuary. For more information, please see our Snaps FAQ.

Today was Snaps' first full day at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, and he's loving his new life. Please enjoy these photos of Snaps, and Steve, as he gets to know his new surroundings and the people who will be loving and protecting him for the rest of his life.

Please check back for more updates, details, and fundraisers to help Snaps and the other dogs at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, and thanks to everyone for your calls and emails, supporting our work with these very special dogs.

Posted on September 12, 2009 | Link

Reward

Olympic Animal Sanctuary is offering a reward for any information that leads to the successful prosecution of the person or persons responsible for abandoning three kittens at the Sanctuary late Sunday, July 19. Animal abandonment is a gross misdemeanor under section 16.52.207 of the Revised Code of Washington. If you have any information, please call 374-2596 and leave a message.

For others considering abandoning an animal at our facility, be advised that we take animal cruelty very seriously; if you are identified as the person responsible, we will take every available measure to ensure that you are prosecuted, and we will file civil charges against you. If you're not sure what that means, it means you might go to jail, and then we'll take your money - as much of it as a judge will let us have. If you have an unwanted pet and would prefer not to end up in court, consider calling one of our county's various animal welfare organizations. Trust me, none of us wants someone like you to have that animal any longer than is absolutely necessary, and we'll do whatever we can to get it safely out of your hands.

Olympic Animal Sanctuary - non-adoptable dogs and reptiles only
(360) 320-OLYMPIC, (360) 320-6596
www.olympicanimalsanctuary.org

Friends of Forks Animals - low-cost spay/neuter for West End residents
(360) 374-3332
www.friendsofforksanimals.org

Peninsula Friends of Animals - dogs and cats
(360) 452-0414
www.safehavenpfoa.org

Welfare for Animals Guild - dogs only
(360) 460-6258
www.welfareforanimalsguild.org

Olympic Peninsula Humane Society - all animals
http://www.cchumane.com
(360) 457-8206

Posted on July 19, 2009 | Link

Three Toes

Olympic Animal Sanctuary isn't just a haven for dogs; this three-toed box turtle was found walking down the street near the Sanctuary this afternoon. She's had an encounter with a dog or possibly a close call with a car, as evidenced by significant damage to her shell, which was already deformed. The damage has healed and doesn't seem to be causing her any problems; see the second photo. The green stuff is from a pile of dandelion greens she was hiding under before the photo was taken.

Posted on July 15, 2009 | Link

Store Now Open

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

Posted on July 10, 2009 | Link

Gabbs Dogs Update #5

From Steve Markwell, Executive Director:

Our website has been down for a few days while our hosting company moved everything to a new data center; supposedly we were given several notices that this would be taking place, but if we did get them I don't remember any of them. So that's why this update is late.

Abel has moved in with Dixie; I felt that he would make better progress if he was sharing a room with a calmer dog. The first couple of days Dixie was a bit more nervous and flighty, but she calmed back down and is rubbing off on Abel. I'm petting both of them frequently, Dixie is taking treats from my hand, and Abel is showing interest in the treats, but waits until I leave to eat them.

Tippy, whose behavior and physical movements seemed strange to me initially, is behaving more normally now. Unfortunately, she has taken a cue from Herbie and barks at me when I enter the room. Due to a fairly intense week of construction at the Sanctuary, I have not yet moved Herbie to a more isolated room, which I believe will be helpful for everyone. That will be done this week, and we should start seeing positive results soon. Itsy and Tippy seem especially influenced by Herbie's fear of people and will benefit from his removal from their immediate proximity, and Herbie will feel safer in isolation, with no pack to 'protect'.

This will be the last of the weekly updates; I'll be spacing them out a few weeks apart from now on.

-Steve

Posted on March 30, 2008 | Link

Gabbs Dogs Update #4

From Steve Markwell, Executive Director:

Dixie gave birth to three puppies Monday morning; one was stillborn. The other two seemed to be having trouble feeding and Dixie was not making much of an effort to care for them. I feared she might be too stressed to take care of the babies, and I was concerned that they were not nursing, so I rushed mother and puppies to the vet. An exam determined that the puppies both had severe cleft palates; they would not have been able to nurse without fluid going into their lungs, and would have died horrible deaths by starvation, suffocation, or aspiration pneumonia. There was little to no chance that surgery would have saved them; fortunately we caught the problem before the little ones had a chance to suffer, and I made the decision to have them humanely euthanized. It is always sad when puppies die, but I'm thankful that they were able to go peacefully, when so many dogs are killed every year under much more horrifying circumstances. Dixie seems to be coping with her loss, and I have continued to work through her conditioning process. She has started leash training; we're not going on walks yet, but Dixie is getting used to feeling the pressure of the leash through very brief sessions.

The other dogs continue to make progress, but I feel that Herbie presents a bit of a problem, in that he continues to bark and behave fearfully when I pass by the kennels, and his fear tends to be contagious. I will probably move him into his own room this week, so that he is not as heavy an influence on the others, and I can work with him without distractions. I think one of the reasons I have had more success working with Dixie than with the others is that she has been isolated from the rest of the group; her only socialization with other dogs has been with Clyde, Charlie, Lupe, and others who are easygoing and love people.

The kennels I purchased are working out well, but the flooring is not ideal for indoor use. I'm debating whether or not to remove it. it is designed to channel urine out of the kennel and keep the dogs' feet out of their waste, which is great, but it is very difficult to clean and tends to trap feces. I think my bare wood floor with a mop and bucket, some bleach, and a little pet stain and odor remover will make for an easier setup to keep clean. As far as the flooring is concerned, I might find some use for it, perhaps if I ever need to set up a kennel on my deck and I can clean it with a hose instead of a mop. Of course I'll need to build my deck first.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

-Steve

Posted on March 21, 2008 | Link

Gabbs Dogs Update #3

From Steve Markwell, Executive Director

It's been another good week for our Gabbs dogs; the kennels have arrived and been built, and the dogs are feeling more secure in their smaller enclosures. Of course, the goal is to get them out of the kennels as soon as possible, first on the leash in the living room, then in the yard, and eventually around the block, and finally, to the vet for spaying/neutering.

Herbie is still not into being petted, but he is allowing me to be very close to him. He's still barking and growling at me, but that just shows that he's feeling more at home at the Sanctuary. Itsy and Tippy are doing well, but of the four dogs in kennels, Able continues to make the most progress. He approaches and licks my fingers, and allows me to pet him when things are calm. I'm hoping to start leash training soon.

In the bathroom, Dixie still hasn't given birth, but I'm expecting the little ones any minute. There was some gurgling going on this morning, which is usually a sign that babies are coming soon. Dixie eats from my hand and allows me to approach her and pet her. She still shies away a bit, but she doesn't run from me anymore, and has stopped all of her nervous pacing when I enter the room. I would start leash training right away if she was not due to give birth; instead, I'll hold off until she needs a break from her puppies.

I'm doing everything I can for these dogs, and they're making good progress, but they need your help, too. It costs about $1,500 to build a bedroom for three dogs to share; your donation will provide the Gabbs dogs with a warm place to sleep at night. Thanks in advance for your support.

-Steve

Posted on March 15, 2008 | Link

Gabbs Dogs Update #2

From Steve Markwell, Executive Director:

I had to go to California for a training program at the beginning of the week, so I was gone from Sunday afternoon through Wednesday morning. Apparently, while I was gone, my shy, skittish Gabbs dogs were very territorial in my apartment and wouldn't let my caretaker through the door to check on them. No doubt Herbie was leading the pack as they apparently stood at the doorway, snarling and snapping. So rehab was put on hold for a few days, but when I returned, the dogs let me in without incident, other than a little barking. While this behavior isn't our long-term goal, it does demonstrate to me that the dogs are feeling at home enough to defend their territory against someone they perceived as a dangerous intruder; it also demonstrates that they are still felling a bit vulnerable. So it's a case of good news/bad news.

Dixie continues to be the star student of the group; I moved her into the bathroom, where I have a spare bathtub that I filled with wood shavings for her. She seems to feel secure in the bathroom and likes sleeping in the tub, and I've been able to have a lot of short sessions with her, working on turning human contact into a positive experience. Wednesday, we had no petting, but plenty of sniffing and nose touches. Yesterday I could pet her a little, but she was still nervous and pacing quite a bit. Today she has stopped pacing for the most part, is letting me approach and pet her with both hands on both dominant and submissive contact points, and she is taking food from my hand -- a huge milestone for a dog that wouldn't eat with a human being in the same room with her two weeks ago. Hopefully we will continue on at this rate. Dixie also continues to respond positively to socialization with Clyde, Charlie, and Lupe. Remember that Dixie was the dog that "shut down" when touched, essentially blacking out from the stress of human contact. At the temporary shelter in Reno, she never showed any interest in people, but here, she comes to me and sniffs me over, and seems interested in whatever I may be doing in the bathroom. When I bathe, she even likes to lick the water off my hands. She is making tremendous progress.

For the other four dogs that are still in the living room, progress has been slower. I've been able to pet all of them as long as they have been in the small bedroom, but only Abel lets me get close in the living room. He stays fairly relaxed when I enter the room, but watches me very closely. The girls, Itsy and Tippy, are getting much calmer. Herbie is increasingly confrontational, but is becoming less nervous. The kennels I ordered arrived this afternoon, and we put the units together while the dogs looked on. Herbie was agitated initially, so we took a break and came back later, at which point the dogs were relaxed enough to lie down and take a nap while we worked. Having Clyde, Charlie, and Lupe in the room was helpful initially, but eventually Tippy decided Lupe needed to leave, so I took the little ones back downstairs. As we put the finishing touches on the kennels, Herbie began to get upset again, but he did a very good job overall. Some time in the next day or two, I'll put the dogs into the kennels, where I will be able to work with them more easily, running from me no longer being an option. It will also be nice to separate the other dogs from Herbie, as his fear tends to be contagious.

I continue to be optimistic, and expect progress to come more quickly now that the kennels are here. My goal is to figure out what the dogs are afraid of, slowly desensitize them to those stimuli, and gradually work them into the same routine that the other dogs at the Sanctuary follow, including plenty of socialization with people and other dogs,and lots of outside play time. We'll get there. Check back next week for another update.

Posted on March 7, 2008 | Link

Gabbs Dogs Update #1

From Steve Markwell, Executive Director:

I thought it might be interesting for our supporters if I wrote weekly updates about the Gabbs dogs' rehabilitation, since we're dealing with five animals that never had human contact before they went to Reno a few weeks ago, and these five were the least social of the 149 from the Gabbs hoarding incident.

The dogs have settled into my apartment, which is usually a new dog's first stop at Olympic Animal Sanctuary. In addition to the living room, which has been stripped and made reasonably 'dog-proof', I've provided them with a small room where they can hide when they're not feeling especially confident. I also use this room for short, social interactions between myself and the dogs, since they can't run from me in there and have no choice but to accept a few gentle touches. I keep these sessions very short -- usually around thirty seconds, several times a day.

Abel and Dixie have both approached me and initiated contact with me on multiple occasions, especially when i bring Clyde, Charlie, and Lupe into the apartment to play. Dixie is especially interested in Lupe, and Abel likes the boys.

Itsy and Tippy remain shy, but they are gradually letting their guards down. Tippy is willing to be in close proximity to me as long as I don't try to touch her. Itsy keeps her distance except in the little room.

Herbie still thinks he needs to protect the other dogs from me, so he tries to stay between them and me, and always looks me right in the eye. I generally ignore him, because despite all of his bluffing, he is the most afraid. This affirms what I've frequently said about 'alpha dogs' -- the overly dominant behavior they display is typically a result of their proportionally greater fear of humans, other dogs, etc. Herbie is coming closer and closer every day, though.

The plan for now is to continue to get the dogs familiar with me without pushing them too hard; one thing that I will be changing, however, is the amount of space they have. My living room turns out to be a little too big for these guys; I need to have them more confined to take away their option of running away from me. I have ordered some kennels and special floor panels that should arrive in a few days. The dogs will stay in the kennels and undergo a slightly more intense socialization program, which will consist largely of me lying down in the kennels with them and watching TV. Then, as they lose their fear of me over the next few weeks, they can come out, learn to walk on a leash, and start going outside. I don't expect it to be easy, but I have no doubt that the Gabbs dogs will learn to love people and will continue to enjoy their new home at Olympic Animal Sanctuary.

Additional news: Abel has now been vaccinated (he was the only dog they were never able to successfully give a shot), but we still don't know whether or not Dixie is pregnant. If she is, it should become obvious within the next week or two. She looks pregnant to me, but sometime a dog can have a false pregnancy that's pretty convincing.

Check back next week for another update.

Posted on February 29, 2008 | Link

The Gabbs Dogs

Last May, Dama Louise Wirries passed away unexpectedly, left no will, and her family had to sort out the details of her estate more or less unaided. The scenario is nothing new, with the exception that her estate happened to include 144 dogs on a ranch in Gabbs, Nevada; one was pregnant, later bringing the total to 149. Further complicating the matter was the fact that the property was a rental. Wirries' last wishes, while not put into writing, were that her dogs all be euthanized, because certainly no one could give them the level of care she had provided.

That level of care included flimsy pens constructed with light gauge welded wire, houses made of hay rolls where more dominant dogs kept the others from coming inside, and for most of the animals, no human contact whatsoever. Many of the dogs were running free, or going from pen to pen at will. While the first 70 or so dogs on the ranch were spayed or neutered, as more dogs arrived, Wirries lost control of the situation and uncontrolled breeding began to take place, resulting in inbred puppies and an ever-growing, impending disaster. Only two things separated the nightmare in Gabbs from most other animal hoarding cases, that the dogs were not starving, and that Wirries' landlord and her family, most notably her niece, Linda Bailey, stepped in to ensure that an end came to the situation and the dogs found new homes. Euthanasia for 149 dogs was out of the question.

Bailey called the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, current home to the pit bulls confiscated from Michael Vick. They were unable to take all the dogs, but through their contacts with other animal welfare organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States and California-based United Animal Nations, two organizations specializing in emergency sheltering, they were able to ensure that all of them got another chance.

Over the following months, the dogs went to no-kill shelters and foster homes a few at a time, and about a month ago, UAN took the 32 least social dogs to a temporary shelter in Reno, Nevada. There they were given individual attention from UAN volunteers at "Camp Reno", and one by one, the dogs came around, and were able to leave the shelter for adoption or fostering. By February 20, only a few dogs remained -- the ones that were going to need more time and a lot more patience before they would ever trust a human being.

There were Herbie and little Abel -- no one had been able to touch them since their arrival at Camp Reno, and Abel was so wily he hadn't even been successfully vaccinated. Itsy and Tippy were skittish girls that could be petted a little, but had a very hard time relaxing with people, and weren't making much progress. Then there was Dixie, who had simply "shut down"; she barely ate, barely moved, and didn't react to human contact, the overwhelming stress 'turning her to stone'. For these five, special dogs, typical shelters or foster homes were not going to work, so United Animal Nations called Olympic Animal Sanctuary to seek permanent placement for them.

Steve (and a documentary film crew) drove all day and most of the night through intense fog and blizzard conditions to get to Camp Reno. Once there, Steve took a few minutes with each dog to get a feel for their individual personalities and challenges to their socialization. He was able to pet Abel for a few minutes -- something no one else had succeeded in doing. One volunteer said that Steve's visit was the first time she'd ever seen Dixie prick up her ears. The dogs were loaded up and brought back to Forks. Here, they'll undergo rehabilitation at their own pace, and eventually be integrated into a larger pack. In their first few days at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, the Gabbs dogs have already made progress, especially Dixie and Abel. Steve's looking forward to getting them socialized so he can have his living room back, but he also knows that authentic, lasting rehabilitation takes more than a few minutes and a few jerks on a choke collar -- it takes time.

More on the way? Let's hope it's a false alarm, but Dixie appears to be pregnant, and a phone conversation with Linda Bailey confirmed that it's a strong possibility. Our vet will examine Dixie this afternoon and give us the verdict.

New lives, new names: Dogs don't distinguish between consonant sounds the same way we do, and the names Tippy, Itsy, and Dixie (especially the latter two) sound too much alike, so before they learn their names and things get too confusing, we need to come up with new names for the girls, and probably for Abel as well, whose name sounds a bit like one of our other boy's, Caleb. Check back for pictures of the Gabbs dogs, and once you've seen them, you can email us your ideas for their new names.

Posted on February 26, 2008 | Link

Volunteer and Intern Positions Available

Olympic Animal Sanctuaries is now seeking volunteers and interns to help us help animals. Click here to fill out an application.

Posted on January 13, 2008 | Link

La Push Dog Rescue

Hunted, shot, stabbed, beaten, run over -- two street dogs that survived three years of horrific abuse and numerous attempts on their lives have found a new home at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, where they'll never have to be afraid again. Click here to read about Toby and Cooper.

Posted on January 9, 2008 | Link

More Storm Damage

The last few weeks have been spent cleaning up debris and repairing damage from the biggest storm to hit our area in recent history. We estimate the damage to our property to be somewhere around $15,000; the remainder of the add-on on the back of the building was destroyed, the gates were blown off of the new fence, and the old fence was partially blown down. It took two weeks to get the yard ready for dogs again, and we still have a lot of work to do. We're having a difficult time getting a contractor to come to the property and give us an estimate of the repair costs; contractors don't want to make the effort because they know we plan to do the work ourselves. We're hoping to get someone here soon, so we can finish filing our insurance claim.

Fortunately the main building was not seriously damaged, but it will still take some time to recover from this one. Wind gusts reached 120 miles per hour -- that's the force of a category three hurricane. We're taking these storms very seriously, and whatever we build, we're building to stand up to the wind, even though people are calling this a 'hundred year storm'. We're trying to find a way to turn this negative into a positive; now, instead of trying to retrofit the add-on on the back of the building, we can build a new wing (when funds permit) to our ideal specifications. Now that the damage has almost all been repaired, we're looking forward to doing some new construction.

Posted on December 28, 2007 | Link

Storm Damage

A powerful gust of wind lifted 36 feet of the roof off of the back of Olympic Animal Sanctuary's building early Monday morning, and ripped a new animal enclosure we were building off its foundation. The damaged portion of the building was an add-on built by the last owner; fortunately, the original structure was not affected, and no animals or people were in danger from the storm. As a result of the incident, we have decided to tear down the remaining portion of the add-on; we've redesigned the blueprint and believe that our new layout is better than the original one, and will allow us to make better use of our space, natural lighting, and our property lines.

We've filed an insurance claim and are waiting for a claims adjuster to inspect the damage. In the meantime, the Sanctuary remains up and running, with full use of the facilities -- the roof was blown completely off of the property, so it presents no danger to the animals. Work on the inside of the main building will resume next week.

The storm also uprooted a few trees, but the property has been otherwise unharmed. We're looking forward to turning this negative into a positive. Please help us by making a donation today, or signing up for one of our special offers.

Posted on November 14, 2007 | Link

Dollar Drive

For our first official fundraiser, Olympic Animal Sanctuary is asking everyone who cares about animal welfare to donate one dollar to further our work. Funds will pay for food, supplies, equipment, and building materials. Click here to read the fundraising letter, or click here to go straight to the donate page.

Posted on November 1, 2007 | Link

Now Accepting Donations

Please click the 'Donate' link at the top of this page to make a donation by credit card or using PayPal. Your donation is tax deductible and you'll be helping us to feed and care for animals in crisis, and to build, improve, and maintain their facility in Forks, WA.

We can also take donations by check, cashier's check, or money order, or cash in person.

Thanks for your support!

Posted on October 28, 2007 | Link

We're Official

We received word from the IRS today that our application for federal tax exemption has been recommended for approval. This means our expedite request was accepted, and we will have our determination letter within a week or two, instead of a year from now. We're very excited that we were able to get our application processed so quickly, and of course, having our advance ruling will make it much easier for us to seek out donations and grants.

We are still trying to work out some issues with PayPal to enable us to process credit cards from non-PayPal customers. In the meantime, PayPal customers can make donations to donations@olympicanimalsanctuary.org.

Posted on October 16, 2007 | Link

An Unplanned Texas Rescue

Steve was driving across Texas to pick up some fencing materials in New Braunfels, and picked up a feral dog out in the desert. Click here to read more.

Posted on October 1, 2007 | Link

Our 'Status'

Our nonprofit incorporation with the state of Washington has been processed and approved, and our IRS paperwork has been filed. Federal tax exemption can take several months to process, and in some cases over two years, but hopefully ours will proceed quickly and without incident. We also asked for expedited processing, which we're hoping we'll receive.

We're very close to being able to accept online donations via PayPal. Their verification process for nonprofits requires a lot of different forms, some of which we don't have from the IRS yet, but we're confident that we'll either get it worked out with them, or we'll set up a merchant account with our bank that allows us to process credit cards over the Internet.

Posted on September 20, 2007 | Link

Sanctuary Update

Olympic Animal Sanctuary's new facility is turning out to be a great place to do our work with animals. Plans have been drawn up to increase the square footage of the existing building by about double, creating more than 40 small animal enclosures.

The sanctuary dogs are enjoying all the new space they have here; we now have eleven dogs, of which nine were euthanasia candidates prior to rescue, one had distemper, and one was near death from starvation and worm infestation. Regardless of their past, whether they were fighting dogs, killer strays, or nuisance animals, the dogs all live together in a pack here at the sanctuary. Those that are able take trips to the off-leash dog park in Sequim, where they socialize with other dogs and people. Those that are unable to handle the dog park get plenty of play time at the sanctuary, and some alone time when they need it.

We are currently replacing the old fence around the property and doing some landscaping. In the next month or so, we will be building the first four indoor enclosures, which will serve as sleeping quarters for the dogs initially, but will eventually be used to house reptiles, birds, or small mammals. We'll also be putting new siding on the front of the building, fixing up a front reception room for visitors, and building a new kitchen.

IRS and Washington Secretary of State paperwork will be filed this week! That means we can start taking much-needed donations.

Other plans for the coming year include the development of a volunteer internship program; we hope to attract a few full-time and part-time interns to help with the daily chores around the sanctuary, as well as working hands on with some of the animals.

Wish list: a half-acre property has come up for sale one lot over from the sanctuary, and we'd love to buy it to use for wildlife rehab, but can't spare the down payment right now (around $4,000). If we can raise a few hundred dollars per month, it will allow us to free up some of our personal money to save up for a down payment, and to make monthly payments on the property.

We need money for lumber, plumbing and electrical supplies, and concrete. The sooner we can buy the materials, the sooner we can get the place built out and ready for action.

Firestone 60mil rubber pond liner -- we dug a big pond in the yard for the dogs to swim in, but we don't have enough clay in our soil and it won't hold water. The rubber pond liner is the best option, as it is highly puncture resistant and can be cut and seamed fairly easily.

Posted on September 2, 2007 | Link

Our New Property

The deal closed today and Olympic Animal Sanctuary will be taking the next week or so to move onto our new property in Forks, Washington. The property consists of 3/4-acre with a 5,000+ square foot shop, with offices and an apartment. Around 80% of the indoor space will be devoted solely to animals, as will most of the outdoor space. We will be focusing on expanding our reptile rescue efforts, however most of the space will be occupied by the sanctuary's dogs, who will be overjoyed to have a big, indoor play area to use on rainy days. This property will allow us to become better established and to run more efficiently, so we're looking forward to getting started.

Posted on March 16, 2007 | Link

Introducing Olympic Animal Sanctuary

Director Steve Markwell is currently under contract to purchase a property in Forks, Washington, to be the new location for the Olympic Animal Sanctuary. The facility has over 5,000 square feet of indoor space to house reptiles, birds, and/or small mammals. Numerous possibilities exist for adding onto the existing building, and there are several vacant parcels in the area that may potentially be rented for use as grazing land. If all goes as planned, we will take possession of the facility in March.

While this new facility does not meet our long term needs for housing large animals, it does allow us to do significant work with smaller animals, and it gives us a platform from which to expand. It is sure to be a busy spring, with a few rescues already in the planning stages.

Posted on December 29, 2006 | Link

Local Rescue Closes

Posted on November 23, 2006 | Link

Colorado Sanctuary to Remain Open

This is what we expected to happen, and it's good news, because anyone who knows the sanctuary field knows that there is no chance of finding homes for 150 large carnivores. The Wild Animal Sanctuary received enough last minute support to remain in operation for about a year, and is working to implement some key fundraising programs to secure the facility's future. Actress Jessica Biel has pledged her support as well, and there is every indication that the sanctuary's finances will be more stable in the years to come.

How close the Wild Animal Sanctuary came to disaster brings to light a situation common to many wild animal facilities - that they operate too close to the bottom line, and are always one event away from closure. Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, but in the aftermath, many of the donations that normally went to small, nonprofit organizations throughout the country were diverted to Katrina-related causes, effectively damaging thousands of organizations with no connection to that natural disaster. As our own sanctuary moves from idea to reality, we have to keep the lessons that Katrina taught us in mind. We have to have a budget for emergencies, and we have to be prepared for natural and man-made disasters that may affect us directly or indirectly. We are considering a policy of not taking in any animal that cannot be evacuated from the facility on short notice, and we are currently creating guidelines for a disaster preparedness plan. In addition, we hope to have the capability of responding to disasters elsewhere, whether they be hurricanes or facility closures.

Posted on October 14, 2006 | Link

Now Accepting Reptiles

We are now accepting snakes (including venomous species), turtles, tortoises, and most lizards at our location in Forks, Washington. We do not have the space for iguanas at this time, but can accept other lizard species. As with all animals in our care, we do not buy, sell, trade, or breed reptiles. Upon arrival to the sanctuary, they are given a microchip implant for permanent identification, and they stay here for the rest of their lives in our secure enclosures. Call 360-320-6596 for more information.

We currently need the following items:

• One freezer -- chest type
• One small refrigerator
• Snake handling and feeding equipment: hooks, tongs, gloves, bags, hemostats, pinkie presses, etc.
• Freedom Breeder™ display cages and rack systems
• Light fixtures, heat lamps, UV bulbs
• Bedding -- aspen shavings, coconut husks, sphagnum moss, reptile sand
• Grape wood
• Water bowls and tubs

Posted on September 27, 2006 | Link

Emergency in Colorado

Posted on August 18, 2006 | Link