I have a very soft spot in my heart for animals, especially dogs and any chance I get I try and give back to the community and to my favorite non-profit organization the Hawaiian Humane Society by fundraising, pet visitation, or fostering dogs.
With the generous support of the community, HHS is able to help thousands of animals a year in lost and found, adoption, rescuing and protecting pets, spay and neutering, foster care, and much more. According to last year’s annual report (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011), HHS saw a 17% increase in adoptions with a total of 6,734 cats, dogs, and small animals. Additional, 3,225 pets were reunited with their owners and 30,186 animals were given shelter and care.
The HHS also helps promote and practice sterilization and in partnership with the City and County of Honolulu for the Neuter Now Program and last year 10,496 sterilizations were documented.
The HHS is the only lost and found animal shelter on Oahu and is 100% funded by private and local donations. It costs $16,000 a day for the HHS to keep their doors open for one day. Whether it’s monetary or volunteering, the HHS is always in need of help.
I recently visited the HHS and met with Bonnie Osaki and Jacque LeBlanc for a behind the scenes tour, got updated on the facility, and gathered information to pass along to the community. Bonnie and Jacque are two of the many employees that work for HHS that love animals and strongly believe in the shelter’s mission, people for animals-animals for people.
After meeting with Bonnie and Jacque I felt that the best message I could give to the community was best put by Keoni Vaughn HHS Director of Operations, “adopt, don’t shop.” The community needs to be aware of the growing number of healthy, well behaved animals at shelters that are in dire need of a loving home.
There are many benefits of adoption from a shelter like the HHS. All animals available for adoption have had a medical and behavioral screening, pets are spayed or neutered, dental cleanings are now conducted, and adoption fees are astronomically lower than what you would pay when you buy a pet from a pet store. HHS even has adoption counselors that you can meet with when you are adopting an animal, and they will see if the pet is a right fit for you and your family.
The HHS is continueously impacting the community positively, for example with the recent Waimanalo puppy mill bust in February where 230 dogs were taken into HHS custody and care. The cost of care for these animals totaled more than $450,000. Thanks to donors and fostercare volunteers hundreds of dogs were removed from horrible living conditions and their lives were saved.
Let’s make sure that HHS can continue to do all they can for Oahu’s animals in need and if you can give a contribution or any of your time please contact HHS. Also, if you are looking for a new furry addition to your family, please highly consider adoption. If you have any doubts, come down to the shelter and see all the adorable animals available for adoption from puppies, purebreds, poi dogs, kittens, and much more.
