Humane Society Buys Florence Property, Plans Major Shelter Expansion

Lane County commissioners unanimously approved the Oregon Coast Humane Society purchase of the Florence property at 2840 Rhododendron Drive on Tuesday, December 3, 2025, for five hundred dollars. The transfer gives the nonprofit control of land it previously rented from the county and officials say it is the first official step toward a long term expansion of the facility.

The shelter has been operating over capacity for years. Executive Director Elizabeth Thompson says the organization has handled nearly nine hundred animals so far this year and routinely runs a waiting list, with kittens being housed in the breakroom and dogs placed in offices. “The only barrier to helping more animals is our space,” she said. “We have the capacity, based on our staffing and our volunteers and our community support, to take care of twice as many animals, three times as many animals. But, when you only have 15 dog kennels, and you only have two rooms for kittens, you’re quickly at capacity.”

Owning the site is intended to unlock fundraising and planning for an approximately five million dollar capital campaign. Planned improvements include more space for cats, dedicated quarantine areas, tsunami safety upgrades and improved disability access. The expanded facility would allow the shelter to take in twice the number of dogs and provide more training space, which shelter leaders say should reduce the increasingly long stays that large dogs are experiencing while awaiting adoption.

There are direct community impacts beyond adoptions. Volunteers and staff already provide outreach services such as free microchips, vaccines and pet food and supplies at Lane County Stand Down events. With property ownership the shelter says it can contract for more dedicated service to rural communities, including Mapleton, improving access to basic pet care where options are limited.

From a policy perspective the nominal purchase price reflects a public sector decision to support nonprofit service capacity rather than immediate revenue. If the capital campaign reaches its target the project will generate local construction activity and ongoing operating costs that will require sustained funding through private giving, grants and potentially municipal partnerships. For Lane County residents, the most immediate benefits will be reduced wait lists, improved access to pet services in rural areas and greater shelter resilience to natural hazards on the coast.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the type of property the Oregon Coast Humane Society purchased from Lane County. We regret the error.