Humane Society protested

[2/19/19] Thirty or so animal rights activists picketed in front of the Hawaiian Humane Society on Monday, alleging that the organization kills animals that are healthy or suffering from easily treatable conditions; violates standard safety procedures and labor practices; and has created a hostile work environment.

The pickets carried signs reading, “Hawaii Humane Society Too Many Are Killed!” and “Too Many Deaths HHS Needs an Audit!” among others.

In a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Bob Armstrong, chairman of the Hawaiian Humane Society’s board of directors, said the organization will bring in “a third party to assess our animal care operations. We understand some former employees have expressed concerns about the workplace and the board will conduct an organizational assessment.”

Many of the people who turned out Monday in front of the Hawaiian Humane Society’s headquarters in Moiliili work with — or run — cat rescue organizations and acknowledged they had no firsthand knowledge of problems at the Humane Society.

But Sarah Worth said she worked at the Humane Society’s admissions desk from Aug. 10, 2017, until she received a termination letter Dec. 24 that said she was being fired “for forging company documents.”

At the same time, Worth said that in the summer of 2018 she created “The Underground Kitten Railroad” out of the Humane Society to save adoptable kittens that Worth said would have been otherwise killed.

“I was saving kittens,” she said.

Hawaiian Humane Society officials had told Worth that no kitten weighing less than 18 ounces could be saved.

“They said it has a very, very small chance of survival, and I believed it for the longest time,” she said.

But Worth has since seen kittens at that weight surviving outside the Humane Society.

Worth also said that the Humane Society’s clinics reuse needles and that employees are forced to be on call 24/7. Worth said she was fired along with another employee who complained that she was under stress for being on call around the clock.

While working at the Humane Society, Worth said she admitted three adoptable kittens and was later shocked “because I found them in the euthanasia room. All three of them.”

When she started asking questions, Worth said she came under scrutiny, “and they started reviewing every intake I would do.”

The Hawaiian Humane Society provided the Star-Advertiser with data going back to 1993 that showed the fewest number of dogs and cats were euthanized in 2018: 1,769 dogs and 9,084 cats.

In his statement Armstrong, chairman of the society’s board of directors, said, “While our euthanasia rates are at historic lows, our goal has always been to reduce euthanasia to as close to zero as we can. This is why we opened our new spay and neuter center in October 2018. Spaying and neutering is proven to reduce the number of unwanted animals and will help us to bring down our euthanasia rates to even lower levels.”

Jana Moore joined the protesters Monday.

After only three months, Moore said she quit her “dream come true” job working in the Hawaiian Humane Society’s development department because of “very low morale and very high turnover.”

“I didn’t work with the animals directly but I have spoken to many, many employees who have and I have seen the pictures and I have seen the videos of healthy adoptable or easily treatable animals that were euthanized,” Moore said. “Personally, I can definitely attest to that I witnessed multiple employees leave, at least half a dozen employees, and several of them cited this very toxic culture and this very hostile work environment for why they left.”

***

Bob Armstrong responds.

The Hawaiian Humane Society protects the safety and welfare of animals in need on Oahu. I am proud to be part of an organization whose employees dedicate themselves to shelter and rescue animals, find families for pets who need homes, and advocate for the humane treatment of animals everywhere.

Recently, critics have accused the Hawaiian Humane Society of conducting unnecessary euthanasia. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over the past several years, our euthanasia rates have reached historic lows, and our protocols and processes are carried out according to strict standards.

*** [3/26/19]

After 16 months on the job, Hawaiian Humane Society CEO and President Lisa Fowler has resigned “for personal reasons,” the organization announced Monday.

Fowler’s resignation followed a protest outside of the Humane Society’s headquarters in Moiliili in February.


Some of the 30 or so protesters carried signs calling out Fowler by name and alleging that the Hawaiian Humane Society kills animals that are healthy or suffering from easily treatable conditions; violates standard safety procedures and labor practices; and has created a hostile work environment.

Fowler will remain on the payroll until April 30 to aid in the transition to new leadership, the Hawaiian Humane Society said in an announcement.

In the meantime, board Chairman Bob Armstrong will serve as interim CEO.

“As board chair, I will step in as interim CEO while we conduct a national search for a new CEO,” Armstrong said in a statement. “Several board members will also be stepping in to offer support and guidance in key areas of our operations during the transition period.”

Following February’s protest, Armstrong said the organization would bring in a “third party” to assess whether the Humane Society was following euthanasia best practices.


At the time of the protest, the Hawaiian Humane Society provided the Honolulu Star-Advertiser with data going back to 1993 that showed the fewest number of dogs and cats were euthanized in 2018: 1,769 dogs and 9,084 cats.

Fowler previously worked on the Big Island as executive director of the Hawaii Island Humane Society.

She joined the Hawaiian Humane Society in 2011 as its director of development, then became its director of operations.

After her predecessor, Pam Burns, died in September 2017, Fowler was named co-interim CEO.
In November 2017 Fowler was named the organization’s president and CEO.

Armstrong thanked Fowler for her eight years of service and said, “We appreciate her many contributions to the organization and her knowledge of animal welfare.”


Fowler said in her own statement, “It has been an honor and privilege to lead this great organization and to be part of the amazing welfare professionals who work there.”

Keep dogs out of restaurants

says the Star-advertiser:

Dogs are increasingly an important part of many people’s lives. Among the bits of evidence backing up this observation: U.S. spending on pets has risen from $17 billion in 1994 to an estimated $72 billion in 2018, according to the nonprofit American Pet Products Association.

It’s fine to traverse Hawaii’s streets and parks tethered together by old-fashioned dog leash; tote a pint-sized pooch in large purse or sling carrier; even, maybe, tuck an easily fatigued canine in contraptions akin to baby stroller.

There’s a lot to like about the Hawaiian Humane Society’s push for a more pet-friendly community. The man’s-best-friend bond contributes to happier and healthier lives.

However, we should draw the line at dining with dogs in tow at restaurants. It’s a matter of health-and-safety concerns as well as customer courtesy.

The Hawaii Association of Animal Welfare Agencies, which includes the Honolulu-based Humane Society along with Hawaii Island Humane Society, Kauai Humane Society and Maui Humane Society, plans to request the introduction of a bill at the 2019 Legislature that would give restaurant owners discretion to adopt pet-friendly policies.

The push for a bill — following two unsuccessful bids in the past five years — comes as a new state law took effect last week imposing fines for fraudulently representing a pet as a service animal. That law is well-intended, but difficult to enforce due to American with Disabilities Act requirements.

While some types of Hawaii businesses have pet-friendly policies, state law bars the presence of animals other than service dogs in restaurants for valid health code-related reasons.

Among them: Allowing pets through a front door ushers in varying degrees of dog cleanliness, which can compromise food-service sanitation and touch off the transmission of parasites and bacteria that can be harmful to humans. Also, some diners may be allergic or just plain uncomfortable about being seated next to a dog.

Bruce Anderson, director of the state Department of Health, has said the DOH would not support a bill allowing dogs inside a restaurant, but may be receptive to a measure limiting access to outdoor eating areas separated from the establishment’s food prep spots. Also, food and drinks would not be served by employees in the designated areas.

This sort of not-yet-legit arrangement is already up and running, of course. A pet travel website, bringfido.com, notes 133 Honolulu eateries welcome dogs at outdoor tables. The trend surfaced about a decade ago, when dog-friendly policies took hold in some hotels and retail shops. Apparently, enforcing the state’s ban on pets at restaurants is low priority.

Lisa Fowler

Why is Lisa Fowler, president and CEO of Hawaiian Humane Society, smiling so much these days? Because so many good things are happening to her organization, all of which allow it to satisfy one of its core goals: the continual advancement of the human-animal bond.