[ HAWAII AT WORK ]
Yvette Dante, who works at the Hawaiian Humane Society, holds two of the kittens that are ready to be adopted. More than 1,500 cats arrived at the shelter last month.
Humane society worker
focuses on the customer,
one pet at a timeAt the Hawaiian Humane Society, I manage a team of 10 customer service representatives on the front line at lost and found, foster care, animal intake and adoptions.
Ours are the first faces that you see at the shelter, and it's my department's mission to ensure that all who come have a good experience.
Yvette Dante
Occupation: Customer service manager at the Hawaiian Humane Society
In these customer service areas, emotions run the gamut. A frantic guardian has lost her dog. A family beams with joy because they have just adopted a cat. A teary-eyed owner surrenders her bird because her new landlord doesn't allow pets. These are the scenarios that we work in daily, and they require compassion for people, a passion for animals, as well as an ability to bring calmness to stressful situations and joy to the adoption process.
My work also includes processing paperwork on the thousands of animals that come to the shelter each year.
Last month, more than 1,500 cats arrived at the Humane Society, a clear sign that cat breeding season is upon us.
On our busiest days we can receive up to 200 cats a day. These peak periods have required some creativity to promote adoptions, and that's why during Love a Cat month in June, we offer two cats for a single $55 adoption fee and include a host of special services and offerings.
Getting animals adopted is important. Getting animals placed in relationships with humans that are lifelong and happy is even more important.
A function of customer service is adoption counseling, which enables us to discuss a person's lifestyle and needs so that the right pet is paired with the right person. This improves the likelihood of a lifetime relationship.
Last year, we placed more than 6,000 animals in new homes and reunited nearly 2,000. As for the many animals that arrive but are too young or are sick, they often end up in foster care.
In April more than 100 animals were in the care of volunteers. These animals recovered from illness, learned important socialization skills or just shared time with a foster family until they became old enough to be adopted.
Sometimes people tell me that it would be too emotional to do what I do for a living. The truth is that there is no greater joy than to be a part of the solution for important community issues such as pet overpopulation and animals in need of homes.
While the humane society doesn't create these problems, we certainly are trying to make a difference. And we're doing it one adoption, one sterilization, one microchip and one reunion at a time.
One of the best parts of my job is that no day is ever the same but the goals remain constant -- and that's to promote the human-animal bond and to find a loving, lifelong home for every homeless animal on Oahu.
Hawaiian Humane Society
www.hawaiianhumane.org
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