Send in your pet-related questions
PET OHANA
Hawaiian Humane Society
Since May 2001, "Pet Ohana" has offered information and insight from the Hawaiian Humane Society on animal issues in the Star-Bulletin's Friday Today section.
We relaunch the column today in a new advice format. Send us your pet-related questions and our experts will answer them. For today, though, here's a little bit about who we are.
Question: What does the Humane Society do?
Answer: An easier question might be, What doesn't the Humane Society do? The society's staff of 60 aims to improve the quality of life for Hawaii's animals and serves all Oahu residents, of whom more than half have pets.
We provide a number of services, from teaching children compassion and responsible pet care to enforcement of certain animal-related laws.
We are perhaps best known for adoptions and sheltering services and our investigations department, which responded to more than 16,000 calls for help in the past year.
Q: Is the Hawaiian Humane Society a government agency?
A: No. This is a common misconception. The society is a nonprofit group that has been helping women, children and other vulnerable populations since 1883.
With no funding from national organizations such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, we are an independent local charity that relies on community contributions to execute our mission of promoting the human-animal bond and the humane treatment of all animals.
We do receive funding from the City and County of Honolulu to perform specific services, including investigations, pickup of stray dogs and operation of Oahu's official pet lost-and-found center.
But our advocacy, education and special programs such as feral cat sterilizations are all funded by charity dollars.
The Hawaiian Humane Society welcomes questions by e-mail,
hhs@hawaiianhumane.org. Indicate "Pet Ohana" in the subject line. Or, write "Pet Ohana," Hawaiian Humane Society, 2700 Waialae Ave., Honolulu 96826.