Taking Care Of Our Furry Family Members
By Jacque Vaughn, community relations director, Hawaiian Humane Society
The Hawaiian Humane Society’s mission to promote the human-animal bond and the humane treatment of all animals has been our guiding light through the last 131 years since our founding.
Animal welfare always has been paramount to our mission, and we have also worked to improve the welfare of people, even providing child adoption and advocacy services until the 1930s. Today, we continue to support people as well as animals with about 30 services and programs.
Our lesser-known services include the Pet Visitation and Pet Food Bank programs. Our Pet Visitation program is made up of about 50 Joy Ambassador teams that travel island-wide to schools, hospices and other facilities, bringing cheer to those in need. More than 14,000 in our community, from the sick and elderly to young and those at-risk, have benefited from this program.
Last year, our Pet Food Bank helped almost 1,000 families stay together by providing a pet food subsidy for families whose income was impaired by job loss or homelessness.
Through education we are training students to become leaders of our cause in their neighborhood — teaching leadership skills, project management and civic responsibility. Our education team works with youth around Oahu to spread awareness about important issues.
In 2014, nearly 400 students and faculty from Campbell
High School produced a community event that focused on how important pet ID is to help lower the number of lost and roaming animals in their neighborhood. It brought together a range of community partners from all sectors to work together to create a community-based solution to a local issue.
Seeing the diverse challenges pet owners face, we are also an advocate for a more pet-friendly Hawaii.
We lobbied for the Pet Deposit Law, which went into effect November 2013, so that pet owners wouldn’t have to choose between a roof over their heads or their pets.
You can help Hawaiian Humane Society by calling 356-2222 to volunteer and 356-2213 to donate.
Hawaii charitable organizations may send requests for space in either Proof Positive or the free advertisement below to dchapman@midweek.com.
