(Photo by Amber Phipps) Board members from the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley meet with the Washington County Commission after its regular meeting Thursday to discuss how the shelter is currently overcrowded.

The board for the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley met with the Washington County Commission after its regular agenda on Thursday.

The HSOV has exceeded its holding capacity for dogs, which is supposed to be a maximum of 50 but has reached up to 120 dogs this summer.

The board gathered at the commissioners office to figure out a solution for a problem that has worsened.

“We’ve been at this point for probably two years but we are absolutely at the point now where we have to put one out the window to bring one in the door,” said HSOV Executive Director Amy Rogers, about finding space for one dog after another dog is brought in.

Commissioner James Booth said had toured the shelter earlier in the week and saw firsthand how overwhelmed the shelter is. The board members who were present at the meeting said that they are understaffed and there are too many dogs to care for.

“I think you’ve come to your breaking point and I know this might not go over well but this has become unsustainable,” said Booth.

Booth said that the space is overcrowded and the air is unclean. He asked the board if they’ve put dogs down and alluded to considering that as an option for dogs who have been there longer than a year.

The shelter recently celebrated 11 years of no kill and the board said they only resort to that option if the dog has a record of violence or is severely ill.

“As far as behavioral or medical, I can understand where we would have to make those decisions,” Manager Tracy Moore responded. “I can’t see doing that to a dog just because it hasn’t found the right family yet.”

Rogers said that they came to the commission to discuss the contract and if they’re allowed to tell the public they’re no longer accepting strays.

“We’re asking, can we tell the public no,” said Rogers. “As of right now I am still under the impression that we have to take every stray that comes in.”

Col. Brian Rhodes, with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, was called into the meeting to further establish communication between the shelter, the sheriff’s office and the county commissioners.

Booth said that the shelter needs a purification system and more space, HSOV Board of Directors member Esther Salem said that they would need more funds to make that happen.

Rhodes and the board members discussed what to do going forward so that officers weren’t bringing more strays to the shelter.

“A lot of times they do try and identify the dog if they catch it,” said Rhodes. “If it’s strictly owner-surrender then we can’t take it and can say the humane society is full.”

It was decided that the next steps would be to send out an announcement after speaking with the Washington County prosecutor to say that the humane society isn’t taking any more strays until further notice.

It was agreed to establish a proposal between the Sheriff’s Department and the HSOV but will be presented to the commission in due time, according to Schilling.