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A few days ago, our friends at Shiba Inu Hawaii posted a picture off a Hello Kitty doll wearing a Shiba Inu hat. Growing up in Hawaii, we are fanatic Hello Kitty and Sanrio fans, so this new item was on our list of must-haves. Unfortunately, no one in the club (or on our staff) could find the item online using a variety of searches.

Fast-forward to yesterday. We’re driving down Waialae Avenue heading to Kahala Mall and the car in front of us has a Hello Kitty Shiba Inu plush cruising in the rear window of the car. What to do? Flash our high beams like a stalker so they pull over? Honk the horn, wave frantically and yell ‘Shiba Inu’ out the window?

In the midst of our wild deliberations, we lost the car near Kahala Mall. Crushed, we drove aimlessly around the mall parking lot until we remembered — hey, there’s a Sanrio store at the mall!

Sure enough, with the store staff’s help, we found a few Shiba Inu Sanrio items at Sanrio Surprises at Kahala Mall. The Shiba coin purse, mini plush doll, pencil case and notebooks were our favorites.

They also had the super cute Hawaiian Humane Society Sanrio t-shirts featuring Hello Kitty and animal friends (including Shibas) in stock. Only $22 and available white or pink in a variety of sizes.

We found a bunch of Hello Kitty plush dolls dressed as cats and dogs, but unfortunately could not find the elusive Shiba Inu Hello Kitty. The search continues…

{ Check out this interview with Hello Kitty’s head designer during a recent trip to Honolulu. }

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A STORY OF A FOSTER DOG
{ By Jeff Barnes }

We Aren’t Pet People! My wife and I had declared this again and again. And it didn’t matter who asked. Friends, neighbors, co-workers, and especially our kids, the answer was always the same. WE ARE NOT PET PEOPLE!!!

We didn’t need the expense. We didn’t need the hassle. And we certainly didn’t need the commitment. After all, we are people on the move with too many places to go and too many people to see. Pets simply get in the way, with little or no return on investment.

But then came Janet. Janet was a neighbor and friend in Hawaii who introduced us to the concept of ‘foster pets’ since she was working at the Oahu SPCA. Like children, there are pets that need temporary homes from time to time. You get to enjoy an extra furry friend in your family without the burdensome commitment that comes with actually owning the pet yourself.

With the window now cracked (thanks Janet), my wife began exploring the idea of us, too, becoming Foster Pet Parents. I was still leery, however. Sure, taking in a pet “temporarily” eliminates most of the long-term commitment concerns. But there would still be expense. And there would certainly still be hassles. Lots and lots of hassles.

Shortly after moving to California and settling into a new job at a local, faith-based university, I found myself serving on the school’s “Care Committee.” The running joke is that I have to be put on a committee and schedule a time in order for me to “care.” Guilty as charged.

During one of our first meetings I heard a story about a student on campus who was estranged from his parents. His only remaining family member was a dog who was living with him in student housing. The committee was split down the middle…half focused on the sadness of the story. The other half zeroed in on the fact that the student was breaking the rules by having a pet on campus. The Dean of Students was emphatic. Either the dog was gone by 3 PM the next day OR the student AND the dog would be gone. Case closed.

Later that evening I shared the story with my wife, Niki. She jumped at the opportunity. This is what we’ve been looking for! This is our chance!!! I didn’t realize we had been looking for anything and thus failed to appreciate the opportunity in front of us. But she was passionate. This dog needed a home and now was the time for us to step up and serve as foster parents. My heart began to open up to the idea. Slowly. And with one crucial condition…no BIG dogs!

I went to the Dean of Student’s office the next morning and began asking questions. The only thing he knew was that the dog’s name was Bear. This was my first clue that we wouldn’t exactly be adopting a Chihuahua. We arranged for me, Niki, the student and Bear to meet before lunch. In the interim, I prayed. Please don’t let Bear be big. Please don’t let Bear be big. Please don’t let Bear be big.

A few hours later we opened the dorm room door and Bear immediately came into view. Well, he wasn’t big. Instead, he was HUGE! I now understand that B.E.A.R. actually stood for Big Enormous Astronomical Rottweiler. Okay, he is really a mixed Labrador Retriever/Border Collie. But nonetheless, everything about this dog is SuperSized!

Before giving a final decision, Niki and I went to lunch to talk things over and make a final decision. We were both emphatic. Niki was all “yes.” I was all “no.” We went back and forth until Niki presented her closing argument. “Well, people have invited you into their home over the years…did anyone ever ask how much you weigh?” It was then I knew that if Bear did not come home with us, the doghouse would be MY home. Permanently.

We are now one month into this grand experiment and I cannot begin to imagine our family without our beloved Bear. He is so sweet, so obedient and so loving. All he asks for in return is food, walks and the occasional tummy rub. And it is so rewarding to know we are doing the right thing. Our foster efforts are keeping a “family” together while a student continues his education. If it takes him six years to graduate instead of four, so much the better!

And by the way, we still claim that we are not pet people. After all, bears can’t be pets…can they?

Continue reading »]]> Join the at Hawaiian Humane Society at Santa Paws! Pets and their families are invited to have their holiday photos taken with Santa and Mrs. Paws to benefit the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Ward Warehouse
Saturday, December 3 • 10AM-4PM
Sunday, December 4 • 10AM-4PM

All funds raised through Santa Paws helps to protect local animals from abuse, place homeless animals with families and teach children about kindness and compassion for animals. The money stays right here in the islands to benefit Hawaii’s people and animals. Contact the Hawaiian Humane Society at 356-2225 or events@hawaiianhumane.org

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National Shelter Appreciation Week

November 6-12 and learn more about how to assist our local animal shelters and assistance groups. Celebrated the first full week of November, The HSUS founded this national event in 1996 as a way to engage the community in the work of the local shelters and rescues and help save more animals’ lives.
Local Animal shelters provide a myriad of services to the community including adoption services, animal cruelty investigations, education programs, spay and neuter services and so much more. Unfortunately, these local nonprofits are experiencing an overload of animal service requests and reduced funding. Monetary donations are always appreciated, but in these challenging economic times, there are so many other ways you can support your local animal shelters and assistance groups:

1. ADOPT. Consider adding a new furry member to your family. Stop by your local animal shelter to view available pets.
2. FOSTER. Space is extremely limited at animal shelters and fostering allows animal shelters to assist animals beyond their facility constraints. If you are not ready to have a pet as a permanent part of your family, fostering allows you to enjoy a pet temporarily in your home for a few days or weeks while also assisting your animal shelter.
3. VOLUNTEER. There are never enough volunteers at animal shelters. Volunteers assist with daily walks, maintenance, adoption events, fundraising and so much more. Volunteering is a great option if you want to become more involved in animal assistance or want to be around animals and are not able to have a pet of your own.
4. DONATE. Monetary donations are always preferred — they fund the day to-day operation of local animal shelters. If you do not have the funds to donate money, animal shelters are always in need of food, towels, gently used toys, bedding and other donations
5. SHARE. Share local shelter posts and news with your friends, family and social media network. You may not be able to help now, but by spreading animal assistance news, you are increasing awareness and hopefully finding a forever home for a pet.

Stop by or call your local animal shelter today to learn more.
Hawaiian Humane Society – (808) 946-2187, www.hawaiianhumane.org
Oahu SPCA – (808) 754-1519, www.oahuspca.org
Animal Care Foundation – (808) 396-3333, www.acfanimals.org
Joey’s Feline Friends – www.joeysfelinefriends.org
Hawaii Dog Foundation – www.hawaiidogfoundation.com
Maui Humane Society – (808) 877-3680, www.mauihumane.org
Maui SPCA (808) 280-0738, www.spcamaui.org
Kauai Humane Society (808) 632-0610, www.kauaihumane.org
Humane Society Hawaii Island (Kona) – (808) 329-1175, www.hihs.org
Humane Society Hawaii Island (Hilo) – (808) 966-5458, www.hihs.org

Continue reading »]]> Congratulations Kuma Carlos Chan, our Fall 2011 cover model! Kuma is a 6-month-old Shiba Inu from Honolulu that charmed our public finalist voters and our cover model panel.

When we first called Kuma’s pet parent Terry Chan to inform her that her dog was the winner, she was over the moon! Terry had this to say about her magnificent doggie:

“Kuma Carlos Chan was born in Maui and now lives in Honolulu. He loves to go to the beach, but only to dig in the sand,” says Terry. “He loves to run and romp around at the dog parks. His favorite dog parks are the Hawaii Kai and Humane Society dog parks, which he frequents almost daily. He loves to go on hikes, chasing after lizards and birds, and overall loves to be outside. He loves to eat homemade, home cooked foods, but ultimately loves anything fish.”

“Kuma Carlos… is amazing, touches the heart of everyone that meets him, is outgoing and social, and loves to make friends. He loves to make friends on his walks and thinks everyone wants to be his friend… because usually they do!”

If you would like your pet to be the next Hawaii Pet cover model, please visit www.hawaiipetnetwork.com & submit a photo today!

Continue reading »]]> Wait….Your What? What’s a Bully?

{ By The K9 Kokua Ohana }

There are currently so many different types of ‘bullys’ out there – - Staffordshire Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, APBTs, American Bullys, Shorty Bulls — well, you get the picture. In essence, there are MANY variations to the widely misused term Pit Bull or Pitbull.

We could go on and on about the breed subject and if we have peaked your interest into learning more about the differences, you will also uncover why Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is ineffective and discriminatory simply by judging a dog on its looks. We encourage you to seek out trusted experts with proper and proven information regarding the ineffectiveness on the enforcement of these policies.
We lovingly refer to these dogs as bullys, because the breeds share a lot of the same attributes with skin, coat and quick onset of heat stroke. Plus, any bully breed is a blast to have as a companion!!

In the heat of summer, it is always a good idea to have a few things on hand to protect your dog. Besides the normal items such as a towel, bowl, cold water, and clean-up bags, here are a few suggestions of what to include in your bully beach bag:
• Canine Ear cleaner. It is VERY important to clean your dogs ears after contact with any water. The cleaner dries out the ears and helps to avoid ear infections. And yes, even though your bully may not have floppy ears, they are more susceptible to debris entering their ears.
• Epi-Pet Sun Protector — the only FDA approved sunscreen for dogs. Yes, even black bullys can get a sunburn!
• One meal of kibble sealed in a ziplock-type bag — just in case you see friends and stay longer, your bully has what he/she needs. Note: Bullys thrive best with structure. This includes eating at the same time of day.
• One sealed bag of your dog’s favorite treats.
• A ‘beach’ collar WITH ID Tag, so your dog’s daily collar will last longer. Those of us that appreciate bully breeds will tell you that they are like any other dog, but so much more. They may seem like really tough dogs that don’t need much thought about daily care other than food and water. Such is what one would picture a ‘junk-yard dog’ to be like — rough and tough, and can weather any drought or rainstorm, unaffected. This is not true. The bully breeds are prone to having sensitive skin and often, if left untreated, can rapidly produce secondary issues (dermatitis, eye infections, etc.) Simple consistency of baths and timely preventative flea/tick products will aid in the skin health of your bully, which in turn greatly reduces the chances of skin infections or mange. A bully with a healthy skin and coat can be your best beach buddy! Here are a few more things to enjoy a sunny day with your bully:

PARK/BEACH/HIKE:

• SHADE! We can’t emphasize that enough. Limit direct sun expo- sure and apply dog-safe sunscreen to your dog’s snout and ears. Light-colored and short-furred dogs are prone to sunburn quicker. Bully breeds tend to overheat quicker from simply being short in stature. They are low to the ground, thus taking in heat concentrated on their chest/belly area more than a taller dog would.
• NO drinking salt water or stream water!! They may get seriously ill.
• Limit the time that your dog is allowed to run on the sand. It is very strenuous on their system and is not the same as exercising on solid ground.
• NEVER allow your dog to pick up something from the grass or sand. Bones left from previous BBQs could be lying around and that is an instant choking hazard.

WATER/SWIM:

• Closely supervise your dog around any water, especially running streams no matter how rapid. Current and moss can cause a fall.
• NOT ALL DOGS CAN SWIM! Have a life jacket that fits your dog. They are becoming more inexpensive to purchase.
• NEVER throw or force your dog into the water. This may develop into a fear of water.
• Taking your dog into the water for the first time? Start out in calm, shallow water. Encourage your dog with a toy or treats. Praise them for even taking a step in. If your dog is still unsure, bring along a dog pal that is experienced around the water. Having another dog may help with the confidence needed to encourage your dog.
• NEVER spray a dog in the face with water. Even if they love it! Gulping amounts of air and water may cause bloat. Are you aware of the seriousness of bloat? Bloat can occur when you allow your dog to exercise within 2 hours of eating. Large breed and/or deep-chested dogs or puppies are prone to bloat when they:
1. Gulp air (while eating/drinking quickly)
2. Drink large amounts of water rap- idly or immediately after a meal.
3. Perform vigorous exercise after a full meal

CAR:

• NEVER leave your dog in the car alone during a hot and sunny day. Heat stroke and DEATH can occur within mere minutes of you leaving them!
• K9 Kokua takes dog skin care seriously. After all…it is an organ. It’s just on the outside of the body. If one organ isn’t functioning properly, the whole system may be in jeopardy. Stay Akamai!

We hope that this information has stirred something in you to go and research for more proper and dog-safe products to enable you to enjoy many more summers with your dog!

Visit www.k9kokua.org or follow the dogs at www.facebook.com/k9kokua. Malama Pono, K9 Kokua Ohana.