Photo Essay: Celebrating A Year Of Helping Animals — And Humans — In Ewa Beach
The Hawaiian Humane Society’s Kosasa Family Campus at Hoopili is not your average animal shelter.
In its first year, a new campus in Hoopili saw about 6,000 pets come and go through its doors. Some 2,300 shelter pets were adopted, 3,400 animals received care and 288 lost pets were reunited with their owners.
The capital campaign to fund the project was $30 million, said Hawaiian Humane Society spokesperson Brandy Shimabukuro. The features a 27,000-square-foot shelter. Its “new generation” design accommodates behavioral, medical and socialization needs for thousands of animals and people each year.
Shimabukuro said the Ewa Beach location found homes for 1,412 dogs, 821 cats, 76 small animals, nine birds and nine reptiles in its first year.
Shimabukuro said the West Oahu campus can house 250 to 450 pets, depending on size and other factors like bonded pairs that can share space.
The facility’s 30 staff members and 60 volunteers worked a total of 3,750 hours in its first year, Shimabukuro said. Volunteers assist with tasks that include dog walking, laundry, animal care, facilities assistance and animal enrichment.
The campus is the second Oahu location for Hawaiian Humane Society’s Pet Food Bank, serving nearly 1,000 people and 5,500 pets with more than 17,000 pounds of pet food distributed in its first year, said Shimabukuro. She added, “This initiative helps pet owners facing financial difficulties continue to care for their beloved pets.”
