Keith goes long

decided to give Kimo a bath
I always notice how skinny Kimo actually is when I hose him down
still patches of light brown, but better

Then I notice Pat out with Keith
I go out to greet Keith and decide to take Keith for a walk

Keith is not a good walker and tends to pull where he wants to go
Plus the harness doesn't help for control (if you're into control)

Anyway, we made it up the street, pausing and tugging when necessary

Keith is an excitable dog, when he's not pulling or putting on the brakes (which is what Coco does), he runs in front and side to side.

So I would walk, let him run in short bursts, but stop him from going to far
I was hoping that would tire him out, but he kept going

He may have been getting tired, but he was still desperate to go home when we reached the beginning of the street.

WTH, let's just keep going.  Around Natsunoya Wall.  Up Aulii.

He was still not perfectly in control, but better.  It may have been a combination of him getting a little tired and him being in unfamiliar surroundings so he didn't know which was to go.

Down Alewa, cut through AOP and back to Kula.

Once back in familiar surrounds, Keith started pulling again.  Wanted to go see Charlie. 

Make him wait then let him scamper up the steps.

Tell Pat where I went and that I didn't let him drag me.  That's the key.

But I'm pretty sure Keith will be dragging her next time they go out :)

[posted 9/1/13]

Iwilei gets a bath

Aloha Pamela,
Just wanted to share this story about my friend Kathy Myers. She is a letter carrier at the Wahiawa post office. She is a very caring, giving person who always is doing good deeds. This is one of them. She has an elderly person on her route who has a pit bull-mixed dog named “Iwilei.” This dog was in need of a bath and, being the person she is, Kathy bought shampoo and gave this dog a bath one day during her lunch break. Now, the owner and neighbors can enjoy the beauty and smell of this clean canine.
Marilyn Mitchell
Mililani

Dear Marilyn,

“I’ve been delivering the mail in Wahiawa for 30 years and I really love my job and customers,” says Kathy Myers. “I give everyone my own mobile phone number so they can call me if I’ve missed them while they’re shopping or picking up the grandkids or at doctors’ appointments. I’m usually still on my route and just re-deliver whatever it is so they don’t have to stand in line at the post office. Iwilei’s bath was on my lunch break, and so worth it because everyone was happy she finally got a bath!”

Hawaiian Humane Society cutting services

The Hawaiian Humane Society is now providing fewer services for the city under a new, one-year contract that takes effect immediately, the two parties said today.

The humane society has been under a $2.3 million annual contract, and will continue to receive that amount for reduced services.

The Moiliili nonprofit’s Web site said it will no longer:

>> Provide law enforcement investigations except for animal cruelty cases.

>> Pick up stray animals.

>> Be responsible for barking dogs.

>> Deal with cat complaints.

>> Provide other animal-related field services work.

Those responsibilities will now be handled by the Honolulu Police Department, according to a city spokesman Jesse Broder Van Dyke said. 

Still being handled by the humane society, but only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, are:

>> Basic stray animal services, including 

>> Capture and holding of aggressive loose dogs.

>> Animal emergency situations where an animal’s life or public safety is being imminently threatened.

HPD will handle calls during the humane society’s closing hours, the organization said.

HPD issued a statement this afternoon saying the new contract will have "minimal or no impact on police operations." 

"While (police) have not seen the final contract, it is our understanding that the Humane Society will no longer pick up stray animals and is advising the public to take stray and injured animals to its Waialae facility," the HPD statement said.

The humane society has had the contract to run animal control operations for the city for a number of years.

It has been under a $2.3 million annual contract that has had the option to be renewed annually for more years.

The city re-bid the contract recently and the humane society was the sole bidder. The organization, however, asked for an $800,000 increase to deal with rising costs, Broder Van Dyke said.

The city, however, facing a budget shortfall, declined the increase and instead the two parties entered negotiations which resulted in retaining the $2.3 million annual amount for the reduced amount of services, Broder Van Dyke said.

“It was a joint decision,” he said.

Long a target of critics who don’t believe animals should be euthanized, proposals before the City Council to place restrictions or more regulation on the Humane Society through the city’s animal services contract have failed to muster majority support.

The Caldwell administration is anticipating a $26 million shortfall in the 2013-2014 budget year that began on July 1, Broder Van Dyke said.

While the city would like the Humane Society to continue the same services as the previous contract, it cannot meet the organization’s need for additional funding because it must focus on its core services, he said.

He cited the City Council’s failure to approve a hike in the city’s fuel tax, which would have added $15 million, its decision to $8 million to $9 million in grants to nonprofits, and a larger-than-anticipated collective bargaining agreement with city police officers.

While Mayor Kirk Caldwell has warned the nonprofits targeted to receive the money that they may not get the funding, there is no way the city can use the money for other purposes, Broder Van Dyke said.

Other impacts to the public stemming from the budget shortfall are still being hashed out and will be discussed at a future date, he said.

See what the humane society has to say about the new contract and what services will be affected on its Web site here: http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/animalcontrolcontract