West Columbia Gorge Humane Society

Creating a Safe, Year-Round Space for Shelter Dogs

At WCGHS, outdoor time for our dogs isn't a luxury—it's an essential part of their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 

Our play yard gives them a place to exercise, decompress, receive training, and simply enjoy time outside. But because our shelter sits in the Columbia River floodplain with a high water table, our current yard becomes heavily saturated and muddy during the Pacific Northwest's rainy season from November to June. Poor drainage makes the space difficult to use, difficult to sanitize, and uncomfortable for the dogs, limiting our ability to provide them the stimulation they need year-round.

We are raising funds to transform the existing dog play yard into a safe, low-maintenance year-round space. The project will include a professionally designed drainage system and durable dog turf that will allow us to keep the area usable and sanitary regardless of the weather, eliminating deep mud and standing water.

 The project encompasses:

• Drainage
• Concrete
• Fencing
• Permanent Rain/Sun Cover
• Turf

An investment in both our dogs and our future

This project will give dogs a place to be dogs—every day, in every season—while helping protect our facility and strengthening our ability to provide excellent care. With your help through GiveMore24, we can turn our swampy yard into a safe, clean, year-round space where shelter dogs can exercise, learn, decompress, and thrive. Every dollar brings us one step closer to giving the dogs in our care the space they need to be healthy, happy, and prepared for a successful adoption. 

The estimated total cost of the project is $150,000. Today we are raising funds for the first phase of the project, installing proper drainage, hardscaping, and fencing. Thank you to the L.R. Mitchner Foundation, an anonymous donor, and the Hinds Fund for kicking us off with $9,000 in matching donations!

In addition to taking monetary donations, we are also accepting donations of Stocks, and Donor Advised Funds.  

About Us

West Columbia Gorge Humane Society (WCGHS) is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal shelter located in Washougal, Washington. Established in 1994, our programs and services are carried out by a small staff and over 250 volunteers who are dedicated to the welfare of animals in need from our community and beyond. Thousands of pets and people receive our compassionate care and assistance each year.

Mission

To save the lives of pets and provide resources that keep pets and their people together.

Vision

Our vision is for all pets to live healthy lives in loving homes.

Values

WCGHS embraces and fosters a culture of kindness, respect, compassion, and integrity towards all pets and people.

WCGHS is focused on bettering the lives of both pets and their people in our community.

This is why we are committed to these tenets of socially conscious animal sheltering:

1. Finding placement for every healthy or treatable animal.
2. Ensuring unwanted or homeless pets have a safe place to go for shelter and care.
3. Assessing the medical and behavioral needs of unwanted or homeless animals and ensuring these needs are thoughtfully addressed.
4. Aligning shelter policy with the needs of the community.
5. Alleviating suffering and making conscientious decisions regarding euthanasia based on the health and safety of the animal.
6. Enhancing the human-animal bond through proper matchmaking and post adoption support.