Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: I will be visiting the islands soon and will only have one piece of checked luggage. I remember reading about how people traveling to or from California can use their luggage allowance to transport animals for the humane society. Can you provide more information on this? Animal adoptions
double for KauaiAnswer: The Kauai Humane Society did have an "Aloha Angel Escort" program, through which travelers voluntarily escorted dogs that could not be placed for adoption on the Garden Isle to shelters in San Francisco, Portland or Denver.
However, that hasn't been done since mid-February, said Dr. Becky Rhoades, who took over as director of the KHS in January.
The problem was that Kauai had an overpopulation of small and toy breed dogs, many of them unadoptable. The former shelter manager discovered there were waiting lists for such dogs at animal shelters on the mainland. By accident, she also discovered that if a dog were flown as a volunteer tourist's "excess baggage," the cost would be $150 vs. $500 to fly the dog as cargo.
But Rhoades said the situation has changed. The Kauai Humane Society, once located "in the middle of nowhere," moved into a new facility just outside of Lihue on July 5.
Just by being in a more convenient location, as well as by having healthier animals, "we have doubled our adoptions," Rhoades said.
Kauai, for some reason, still has "a lot more small or toy breed dogs being produced as part of the pet overpopulation problem than you see typically," she said.
Although adoptions are up, there is a better alternative to shipping the unwanted ones to the mainland, she said. The Hawaiian Humane Society on Oahu has offered to take toy breed adults, as well as puppies in general, from neighbor island shelters.
"We send them to Honolulu and they get adopted pretty fast," Rhoades said.
Either Rhoades, who commutes to her job on Kauai from her home on Oahu, will escort the dogs, or someone from the HHS meets the animal at the airport.
A 20-minute flight is a lot less stressful on the animals, especially puppies, than a five-hour flight, she noted.
"Some people still adopt from us that live on the mainland, but it's an adoption instead of transferring to another shelter on the mainland."
If you would like more information, call Rhoades at 808-632-0610.
Q: Can anybody tell me how to clean my steam iron? I inadvertently put it on hot instead of low and, of course, the minute I put it on my dress, it took the material off, and it is stuck to the bottom of the iron. So, how do I get the material off?
A: According to an article by Anne Field, published by the Michigan State University Extension Service, you should put the iron on low heat until the melted material softens. Then, scrape it off with a smooth piece of wood, a wooden spatula or half a clothespin.
"If some remains, make a paste with baking soda and water and rub, or try silver polish. Wipe off with damp cloth. For a nonstick soleplate, rub gently with nylon mesh pad and suds. Acetone or nail polish remover may remove melted polyester."
Mahalo
To friends, relatives, neighbors, strangers and fire rescue crews for their support in the seemingly impossible search for my 94-year-old grandfather, Nobuo Kaneshiro, in acres of Waimanalo hills, streams and farmland, through dense foliage and in the darkness of night. He wandered from home Thursday, Aug. 9, but was found the next morning on a mountain trail. He thought he was going to die that night -- lost, cold from the rain and having hit his head on a rock. We believe it was the concerted effort by all that saved him in time. We have been deeply touched by the kindness and concern shown. -- Leila Fujimori and family
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com