Hawaiian
Humane Society officials estimate at least half of the roughly 27,000
animals that enter its Moiliili facility annually could instead
make their way to a new West Oahu site expected to be open in about two
years.
D.R.
Horton — Schuler Division, developer of the 11,750-home Hoopili
project between Kapolei and Ewa, announced Tuesday that it is giving
the Humane Society a 4-acre site for a second facility to accommodate
animals in need.
The
parcel is on undeveloped land near Fort Weaver and Old Fort Weaver
roads, about a half-mile from the Queen's Medical Center-West
Oahu.
Besides
animal services such as sheltering for stray and lost animals, spaying
and neutering, adoptions, lost and found, dog training classes and
youth education, the Humane Society will operate a dog park, which will
encompass about half the property and be open to the public, said
Pamela Burns, the group's president and CEO.
Burns
said her organization has sought a West Oahu site since 1999. When the
new site opens, at least half of the 27,000 animals that now enter
the Moiliili shelter each year will instead go to the new site, she
said.
"What we
don't know is how many more will need sheltering from West Oahu that are
not being transported to our Moiliili shelter," Burns said.
A recent
survey showed that while just over half of Oahu households have a pet,
about 74 percent of West Oahu households own pets, Humane Society
officials said.
Burns
said she and Horton-Schuler have been discussing the gift for several
years, although it wasn't finalized until last week.
"Now that
we've gotten the gift of land, we will begin our planning process as
soon as possible," Burns said. "So we are working as quickly as
possible to make this happen."
The dog
park will be about 2.5 acres, significantly larger than the one the
Humane Society opened at its Moiliili location in 1999.
The
society is in the end stages of an $18 million capital improvements
funding drive, and about half that money is slated for development
of a new West Oahu campus, society board Chairman Richard Zwern said.
Burns
said she expects about 25 new paid employees to work out of the West
Oahu campus. She said the society also has 600 active volunteers,
and "we know by opening a campus in West Oahu, we will attract many more
volunteers from West Oahu to join our forces."
The Moiliili facility currently has about 85 full-time staff members.
If the
society chooses to ask for additional help from the city, it might not
get a warm reception from the Caldwell administration.
The
organization has a current operating budget of $7.3 million, which
includes $2.3 million from a contract with the city for animal
services.
When it
asked for additional funding in 2013 to meet the scope of its work, city
officials balked. The two sides agreed to allow the group to
reduce its field services.
***
So what's the difference between the Hawaiian Humane Society and the Oahu SPCA which is in Kapolei? It's a no-kill facility.
***
So what's the difference between the Hawaiian Humane Society and the Oahu SPCA which is in Kapolei? It's a no-kill facility.
No comments:
Post a Comment