Hawaii Humane Society

Organized in 1883, the Hawaiian Humane Society is an education and advocacy organization that also shelters, protects, rescues, reunites and rehomes animals. It is Oahu's only open-admission shelter that welcomes all animals. Established in 1883, this non-profit organization is not a chapter of any group as there is no national humane society. Gifts made directly to this independent, local organization help local animals and people. Visit HawaiianHumane.org to learn more.

While the modern-day humane society is known for sheltering homeless pets, in the early 1900s it also cared for children, unwed mothers and others considered to be society's most vulnerable. At that time, children were adopted from the Humane Society. Today, the Society is still very much a people business; supporting and promoting the human-animal bond, educating young and old, and finding solutions to the challenges of a diverse and fast-growing community of people and animals.

The Hawaiian Humane Society stands as Oahu’s only open admissions shelter, a rescue operation, a placement agency, an educational and advocacy organization and a pet care resource center. Meeting these challenges is a dedicated staff of about 85 who care for healthy animals and treat sick animals, investigate a constant stream of complaints, teach classes, train dogs and groom cats. Their efforts are multiplied by hundreds of volunteers, who give of their time and talents.

This is all a leap from the Society's beginning in the late 19th century, when its humane officers ventured out on horseback rather than in air-conditioned spacious trucks, their welfare efforts aimed more at “work” animals rather than “companion” animals. But even then, education was a top priority. In a society where animal information was very basic, it fell to those founding members to raise public awareness about the proper care, feeding and humane treatment of animals. The vision of those early pioneers guides the Society's efforts today.

The Hawaiian Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that represents a cross-section of the community. The Board establishes overall direction and policies, and delegates authority to the President, who is the Chief Executive Officer.

Compassion is the cornerstone of the Society’s work, which aims to promote the human-animal bond and the humane treatment of all animals. This is carried out through a variety of programs that serve Hawaii’s people and animals.

"To promote the human-animal bond and the humane treatment of all animals."

In 1883, 350 concerned citizens organized the Hawaiian Humane Society, a local non-profit, with its first office on the Iolani grounds – a cottage donated by King Kalākaua.

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