BJ Andersen, executive director of Willamette Humane Society, speaks at an event commemorating the organization’s merge with Oregon Humane Society on Wednesday, July 6 in Salem (Courtesy/Oregon Humane Society)
The Willamette Humane Society and Oregon Humane Society made their merger official on July 1 and will now operate as the Oregon Humane Society with campuses in Salem and Portland.
The merger was announced in March. Humane Society leaders gathered Wednesday in Salem to commemorate the switch, which is reflected in new signage and information on the shelter website.
“I am so proud of the teams from WHS and OHS who have been working very hard for several months to get us to this point,” says BJ Andersen, WHS Executive Director, in a statement. “I am confident that we will continue to do the necessary work to ensure the success of this merger.”
The organizations cited their commitment to the community as the catalyst for the merger which is expected to take about two years to complete.
No layoffs are expected as part of the merger but employees based at the Southeast Turner Road. location in Salem will see a pay raise as they shift to the Oregon Humane Society pay scale, starting at $17.70 an hour.
The merger has other financial benefits as well. Donor management systems and websites will be funneled down into one, eliminating redundancy and with two shelters across the metro areas, the time animals spend in the shelter is expected to decrease, cutting costs as well. Animals can now be sent to the Portland shelter to be adopted out more quickly.
“If we can reduce the length of stay for our animals by two days, it’s going to be a massive cost savings,” Anderson said in a March interview.
The merger also extends the Oregon Humane Society’s reach outside the Portland area bringing with it services that help pets remain with owners and vet accessibility.
“We have tremendous resources that, frankly, other communities could use and need,” said Sharon Harmon, OHS executive director, in a March interview.
The Portland campus will see the addition of two new buildings that include a teaching veterinary hospital set to open in October, providing care at a reduced cost. The Salem home of Willamette Humane Society has been renamed the Oregon Humane Society Salem Campus.
-Caitlyn May
