[ PET OHANA ]
Five Crazy Shirts participants stand at the finish line at last year's Petwalk. This year some employee's plan to dress their dogs in matching bandannas.
A walk in the park
benefits pet friends
Magic Island will be bustling with thousands of people and pets this Sunday for the annual Petwalk, a fund-raiser for the Hawaiian Humane Society.
The event is open to everyone -- with a pet or without -- with a desire to step out for a cause. While it's a wonderful opportunity to share time with our animal companions, the walk's real purpose is to support the programs and services provided by the society. Here are some of the programs funded by tax-deductible donations to this 501(c)(3) organization:
Petwalk schedule
Event takes place Sunday at Magic Island, Ala Moana Beach Park:» 7 a.m.: Registration begins
» 7:35 a.m.: Alumni photo near the stage (for pets adopted from the humane society and their families)
» 7:40 a.m.: Welcome at the stage
» 8 a.m.: Walk begins; there is a 2-mile course as well as a shorter route, both with water along the way.
Afterward, stay for refreshments for people and pets, a pet costume contest, tail-wagging contest and a pet activity area with agility equipment.
» Adoptions. Counselors place animals with people who will provide a lifelong home and provide basic orientation on pet care for new adopters.
» Animal Receiving. At 2700 Waialae Ave., the Hawaiian Humane Society accepts all animals from our community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
» Foster Care. Kittens, puppies and other animals too young to be adopted are given temporary care in the homes of trained volunteers.
» Humane Education. Each year, the society teaches thousands of children and adults compassion and respect for all living things, and promotes responsible pet ownership and humane values.
» Lost and Found. The society reunites more than 2,000 animals with their owners every year.
» Microchip ID. The society maintains Oahu's microchip database. Every cat and dog adopted from the society has a microchip ID.
» Pals Program. Volunteers help elderly, disabled or ill people and their companion animals stay together by providing free, temporary pet care in the home and foster care for animals when needed.
» Pet Loss Support Group. People who are grieving the loss of their companion animal can share their experience in an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding.
» Pet Visitation. Volunteers and their pets visit people in care facilities and special schools to interact with the residents, allowing the animals to have a positive impact on healing the human spirit.
» Pets in Housing. This program encourages condominium associations, landlords and property managers to adopt pro-pet policies, works with pet owners on how to be responsible neighbors and offers a pet-friendly guide to rental apartments. The humane society also maintains a list of available pet-friendly rentals with the help of the Honolulu Board of Realtors.
Back by popular demand is the pet costume contest. These dogs competed after the 1998 Petwalk.
» Pets of Patriots. The war in Iraq has placed some military personnel in the position of having to relinquish their pets because they could not find anyone to care for them on short notice. Society volunteers provide temporary care for military pets while their owners are deployed.
» Shelter Animal Behavior Program. This program's goal is to make shelter animals more appealing to potential adopters through training and socialization. A telephone help line is available to answer new adopters' questions about pet care and behavior.
» Sterilization. To reduce pet overpopulation, spay or neuter surgery is provided to all dogs, cats, rabbits and male guinea pigs adopted from the society. Free sterilization is provided to un-socialized (feral) cats maintained by colony caretakers. The society also administers the city's Neuter Now low-cost sterilization program (at no cost to the program).
» Web site. Information available at www.hawaiianhumane.org includes forms, links, access to animal-related laws and behavior articles.
UNDERSTANDING THE importance of these and other society programs, many companies and groups get involved with Petwalk by sponsoring teams within their organizations.
For instance, First Insurance sponsored an employee "Match the Owner to the Pet" contest, with pet photos posted in Clyde's Cafe, on the fifth floor of the company building at 1100 Ward Ave. The three owners deemed to look most like their pets are receiving Petwalk T-shirts today in anticipation of the walk, in which 50 of the company's employees will be participating.
Over at Crazy Shirts, Charlene Tom said: "We are crazy about animals.
"This year, we had a bake sale at Crazy Shirts headquarters to benefit the Hawaiian Humane Society's Petwalk, raising over $300. Some people donated by baking, some by purchasing -- it was a 'sweet' way to get more cash for our team to contribute."
On Sunday morning the team of "Crazies" will have about 25 people, each wearing this year's Adopt-a-Cat T-shirt, introduced on June 1 for Love-a-Cat month. For the past 20 years, Crazy Shirts has donated a portion of proceeds from sales of these T-shirts to the humane society.
"We really want to show off these T-shirts at Petwalk," Tom said. She added that there are 10 more days this month to get a coupon for a free microchip ID at Crazy Shirts at Ala Moana or Pearlridge Center. Generally available from veterinarians for $25 and up, a microchip ID provides permanent identification for the lifetime of the cat. Purchase the Crazy Shirts Adopt-a-Cat T-shirt to receive a free coupon, redeemable at the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Bev Sorensen, the humane society's Petwalk recruitment manager, has been working with the teams from Crazy Shirts and more than 150 other Oahu groups for almost six months. She anticipates a lively assortment of pets and people gathering at Magic Island Sunday morning.
"You may already be signed up with a team or been asked to contribute a pledge to Petwalk," said Sorensen. "Whether you bring a pet or not, we hope that you will spend a few hours on the morning of Father's Day to help support the many programs made possible by Petwalk donations.
"Walk for the animals. Show off your own sociable pet at the park, and enjoy the after-walk activities like the popular pet costume contest and the tail-wagging contest. It's the one morning each year when animals can romp with their people in Ala Moana Park -- and a great opportunity to contribute to helping animals on Oahu with your donation."
"Pet Ohana" runs the first and third Fridays of the month. The Hawaiian Humane Society is a nonprofit agency dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals. They are at 2700 Waialae Ave. Call 946-2187.
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