Oregon Humane Society

The Oregon Humane Society was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest humane societies on the West Coast and one of the oldest in the country. The organization predates Oregon's modern animal welfare laws by decades; OHS lobbying helped shape much of the relevant state legislation across the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Northeast Portland campus on Columbia Boulevard, expanded multiple times since the 1960s, is one of the largest and best-funded humane society facilities on the West Coast. The organization also operates a Salem location and a network of partner relationships across the state.

How they work

OHS adoptions begin online or in person. The application is short, the interview is conversational, and meet-and-greets happen for animals that seem like a fit. The organization is open-hearted in its adoption philosophy — staff are looking for placement, not for reasons to reject.

Adoption fees vary by animal and time of year. Fees include spay or neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, microchipping, and a starter pack.

The shelter operates as no-kill in current practice, with consistently high live release rates. Animals with medical or behavioral needs are stabilized in-house when possible; OHS's veterinary facilities are substantial enough to handle complex cases.

Beyond standard adoptions, OHS runs:

• The OHS Holman Medical Center — a full-service veterinary hospital on the Northeast Portland campus, serving adopted animals and the broader community.
• Second Chance program — pulls animals from rural Oregon municipal shelters and transfers them to the Portland campus for adoption.
• Friends Forever Program — designates dogs whose adoption fee is waived because the dog needs an experienced, committed home.
• Behavior and training programs including public dog training and specialized rehabilitation for dogs from cruelty cases.
• Humane investigators — OHS Humane Special Agents have full statewide authority to investigate animal cruelty cases.
• Pet retention programs providing food, medical referrals, and behavior support to keep animals in homes that are struggling.

What 150+ years of Pacific Northwest animal welfare looks like

Oregon Humane Society's institutional depth shows in places that are easy to miss. The organization has been a participant in nearly every significant piece of Oregon animal welfare legislation since the 1880s. The humane special agent program has been operating, in some form, for over a century. The Portland campus has been at the same general location since the early twentieth century, expanding in stages as the organization grew.

What hasn't shifted is the organizational character. OHS has been quietly, consistently one of the most operationally serious humane societies in the country — not because of any single headline-making initiative, but because of the cumulative effect of doing the work well for over fifteen decades.

The Portland campus has, over its many expansions, become a recognizable piece of Northeast Portland's daily fabric. The volunteer dog-walker circuit passes through neighborhoods that have grown up around the site. The annual gala draws a meaningful slice of the regional donor community.

You can support OHS in the standard ways:

• Adopt from the Portland campus or the Salem location.
• Foster — the foster network is one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest.
• Volunteer — dog walking, cat socializing, medical clinic support, special agent program support, and event work.
• Donate — OHS publishes detailed financials and maintains top charity ratings.

Field & Era at Oregon Humane Society

The Columbia Boulevard coordinates appear regularly in Companion Edition orders shipped throughout the Portland metro and across the Pacific Northwest. If you adopted from Oregon Humane Society and want the address set on archival paper, see the Companion Edition. 10% of every Companion order supports a rescue partner.

Last verified May 29, 2026. Facts about hours, intake policies, and adoption fees can change. Confirm with Oregon Humane Society directly before visiting.