Founded in 1897, the Humane Society for Southwest Washington is the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Southwest Washington. Each year, HSSW provides thousands of pets with shelter, medical care, behavior support, and a second chance for a happy home.
Our commitment to the people and pets of our community extends beyond the shelter, offering Wellness Clinics for the pets of houseless families, pet food assistance, spay & neuter clinics, and other programs that help keep families together.
We also own and operate ReTails Thrift Store – named best of Clark County seven years running! Giving new life to gently-used items, every purchase and donation at ReTails supports our lifesaving work with the animals.
Our Mission
rescue • return • restore • rehome • reconnect one animal at a time.
Our Vision
A community where everyone loves and cares for animals.
Our Values
Compassion, Collaboration, Excellence, Service, Integrity
Path Forward 2025
The work of animal shelters in our community is changing. Increasingly, the people and pets of Southwest Washington are in need of services that extend beyond the walls of the shelter. Our Path Forward 2025 is a three-year plan to prioritize our work and achieve our vision of a community where everyone loves and cares for animals.
View our Path Forward 2025 plan.
Find out more information about our lifesaving work with the animals - click here to learn more.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
HSSW is committed to an environment that welcomes and values all people. We believe we will be more successful in achieving our mission and vision when we seek out and respond to diversity, honoring the strengths, needs, voices, and backgrounds of all members of our staff, volunteers, workforce partners, donors, supporters and our community.
Our Partnerships
At HSSW, we believe that the people and animals in our community benefit when animal welfare groups work together to make our region the safest for pets in our country. We're proud to be founding members of the following cooperative networks in Southwest Washington and the Portland Metro Area.
Humane Southwest Network
The three humane societies that provide animal welfare services in Southwest Washington have come together and formed a network dedicated to raising the standards of care for animals in our region. By working together we can create greater efficiencies, be more highly effective, and serve as better and stronger advocates for animals and their families.
Together, we are committed to protecting the health of shelter populations, ensuring quality shelter medical services, minimizing average length of stay, and providing assistance in the event of an emergency.
Members of the Humane Southwest Network
Humane Society of Cowlitz County
Humane Society for Southwest Washington
West Columbia Gorge Humane Society
Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland
The greater Portland Oregon metro area served by the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (ASAP) spans four counties (Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington in Oregon and Clark in Washington), 2 states and 3,673 square miles.
All ASAP founding organizations are committed to working together to save lives. Our projects are focused on reducing euthanasia in our shelters by decreasing the intake of animals, transferring “at risk” animals between shelters and increasing adoptions. Discover our current and future initiatives to improve the lives of animals throughout the Portland metro Area.
ASAP shelters and organizations assist a community of nearly 2.4 million people, with 10.9 percent of these living below the poverty line. It is estimated that 462,000 cats and 402,000 dogs share homes with Portlanders, with an additional estimated 100,000 free-roaming, stray, or feral cats in the community.
ASAP’s six shelters care for about 90 percent of the unwanted animals in the greater Portland metro area which amounts to around 40,000 cats and dogs annually.
