West Columbia Gorge Humane Society

West Columbia Gorge Humane Society (WCGHS) is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, animal shelter located in Washougal, Washington. 

WCGHS operates a small spay/neuter clinic inside Columbia River Veterinary Specialists (CRVS). Through our clinic, we are able to spay/neuter every animal that comes into our care. This essential procedure is a critically important piece of our mission to save lives. By spaying and neutering, we are helping to control the pet population, minimize unwanted litters, and keep the number of animals entering shelters down.

Unfortunately, we are experiencing the increasing price of veterinary services. 

This is distressing for pet owners and animal rescue groups like us, who are already struggling with the high costs associated with animal care. It has also thwarted our efforts to minimize animal populations in our community, including feral cats.

WCGHS’s goal is to keep our spay/neuter clinic running so that we can provide high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter surgery for the pets in our care and for our animal rescue partners who are also in desperate need of this resource. By providing this low-cost service, WCGHS and other nonprofit rescue groups can save more lives at a time, when every animal rescue organization across America is experiencing a capacity crisis.

Your support has helped us save more lives every year

When we opened our clinic in CRVS in 2022, we spayed/neutered 747 animals. 

In 2024, we spayed/neutered 1,272 animals. 

In 2025, we are continuing to do this great work to serve our community.

All funds donated to our GiveBIG 2025 campaign will go toward continuing to provide these much-needed, lifesaving services.

Thank you for supporting our mission to save lives and provide resources to keep pets and their people together. 

About Us

Established in 1994, our programs and services are carried out by a small staff and over 200 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.