Shelter Animal Care for Better Adoptions
より良い譲渡のためのシェルター動物ケア
Pamela BURNS President and CEO, Hawaiian Humane Society
パメラ・バーンズ ハワイアンヒューメインソサエティー 会長兼 CEO( 最高経営責任者 )Thank you for coming to join us

or a tortoise. We have sometimes received a goat,

today to talk about adoptions andsometimes we have taken care of horses - we do not

shelters, a topic which is so important,

turn any animal away. Weʼre an open-door shelter soand such an important part of animal

we accept all animals.

welfare today in the United States andJapan, across the country. My name is

For this presentation, Iʼm focusing on one of the many

Pamela Burns, and I have been theservices we offer which is adoptions; and while we

CEO of the Hawaiian Humane Society for almost 20

specialize in adoptions or re-homing of animals, we also

years.

specialize in many other services such as reuniting lostpets with their owners, investigating cruelty and neglect

Our organization, the Hawaiian Humane Society, wascomplaints, and animal abuse. We also specialize instarted in Hawaii in 1883 so it is a very old organization

trying to make Hawaii a more pet friendly place byin comparison to many in the USA. We are a non-proﬁt

passing legislation in regard to pet-friendly rentalorganization and we depend on charity dollars. We are[homes] so that people can ﬁnd rentals that allow their

the only open-admission shelter on the island of Oahu

pets.

which serves approximately 1 million people and close
to 30,000 animals.

We also work with the government in the community
to try and open up more parks to allow dogs. We also

I wanted to comment that we are diﬀerent in the United

visit hospitals in our community with pets ‒ a program

States in comparison to the U.K. in that each of thecalled the ʻPet Visitation Programʼ with many

humane societies in the United States are completely

volunteers. And we also provide pet loss counseling forseparate from any other humane society. We are notpeople who are grieving the loss of their companion

chapters of another humane society.

animal. They can come to our place and we will provide
counseling in a group session on how to deal with the

In the U.K., the RSPCA is at the top of the pyramid, so togrief. But today we are talking about adoptions.

speak, of chapters or member organizations of the
RSPCA. In the United States each one of us is

In terms of adoptions, [slide 3], we have placed [intoindependent. So when weʼre supporting a humane

new homes] over 5,900 animals, primarily cats and dogs

society or animal welfare organization, we have to makebut also rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, sometimes tortoises,

sure our money is going to the right place. In addition

goats, and even a horse that came through our door.

to being the humane society for the island of Oahu, weHopefully they are being adopted into permanenta ls o hav e a co n t r a ct w i t h t h e ci t y a n d cou nty

homes. I cannot emphasize enough that I think it isgovernment to provide animal control services, [slide 2].

very important to provide a good animal adoption
standard in your community. Because, if your reputation

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So we are a humane society with a governmental

is ruined by one very bad case, for example, a very

contract to provide animal control. As a result, weaggressive dog, [the damage to reputation] can be very

accept all animals. We accept owner-surrenderedhard to overcome; and people will not come back toanimals, stray animals, lost animals and we accept any

your shelter. People will not adopt more animals fromanimal that comes to our door. It could be a cat, a dog,

you if you have a bad reputation for the animals you

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シェルター動物のケア・より良い譲渡に向けてhave adopted out. So I think you need to look at things

illnesses, parasite prevention, heartworm assessment,

long term. Of course it is very important to adopt out[slide 5]. And all the dogs, cats, rabbits, and maleanimals but, in the long term, it is the quality of yourguinea pigs are sterilized before they are made available

adoptions that is really going to help you in the future

for adoption. We sterilize dogs and cats at the age ofto get more animals into good homes.

eight weeks or later. Of course, if the animals are older
when they come to us we sterilize them prior to

It requires a significant commitment of resources,

adoption; but we will sterilize dogs and cats at the age

support services and the education of prospectiveof eight weeks or two pounds. This is another threshold

adopters to make an adoption program successful. For

that we use.

every single adoption we offer that is a success, weinvest hundreds of dollars of resources into each animal.

We feel that sterilizing animals prior to adoption is a

Sick and young are placed in volunteer programs sogood way of ensuring that the animals do get sterilizedthat they can become healthy or old enough forrather than being placed in homes intact and hoping

adoption. Those waiting for adoption at our shelter are

the new owner will do the right thing later on. One ofgiven behavior training so that they can learn basic

the things we do if we get animals that are too young,commands and be more appealing to the potential(less than eight weeks of age for example), is to foster

adopters that come through our doors. Prospective

them into the homes of volunteers.

adopters must meet with our adoption advisors toensure they understand the needs of animals and are

We have 100 foster volunteers who will take in an

ready to make both the financial and the personal

animal that is too young to be adopted. They may havecommitment to the animalʼs life. Depending on thea behavioral issue, or a health concern yet thesetype of animal, that life-long commitment span canwonderful volunteers take in the animal and raise themcertainly vary. We also provide two weeks of post-

to a certain age. They help to socialize them, which isadoption healthcare at no charge to the adopter andcertainly an important part of fostering, so that whenlifelong behavior care. During the rest of thisthey are returned to us they can be made readilypresentation, let me go into each area in a little moreavailable for adoption.

detail, [slide 4].
We could not place close to 6,000 animals into new
We only make healthy animals available for adoption,

homes if we did not have these dedicated foster

only those animals that we think will be an appropriate

volunteers, [slide 6]. Last year alone they fostered overanimal ‒ but there is no guarantee about that. The

875 animals that would not otherwise have been

animals are screened for behavior suitability to ensure

eligible for adoption. We also have a program thanks tothat dangerous or aggressive dogs or other animals area very generous donor who has put aside money for

not placed for adoption.

dogs that need additional treatment or surgery. We also
receive a lot of heartworm positive dogs at our shelter

So, if there is a dog that shows significant signs of(because of the climate), and our fund will pay for theaggression towards our staff during the behavior

medical treatment of a dog that would not otherwise

assessment, then that dog is euthanized. It is not madebe place-able. It is through him and his wifeʼs, generous

available for adoption. The number one reason behind

donation that we are able to do that. We also haveeuthanasia at our shelter relates to un-socialized feral

behavior training, socializing, and an exercise program

cats that could never make a family pet.

for the animals while they are at the Hawaiian Humane
Society.

Quality healthcare cannot be overemphasized. Even
before our animals are made available for adoption,

Over 800 animals, primarily dogs, graduate from ourthey go through a health exam, treatment for minor

animal behavior program. Ours is a very volunteer-Workshop Ⅳ Shelter Animal Care ̶ For Better Adoptions

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driven organization and program, [slide 7]. We utilize

decision-making, rather than being over judgmental

dog walkers - people who go out walking the dogs toand telling people they are not good enough to adopt

train them how to walk nicely on a leash and also to

one of our animals. We will not adopt animals for thesocialize them (and cats) so that they are more

purpose of food or for hunting or solely to be a guard

appealing to adopters when they come into our facility.

dog at their homes. However, unlike the RSPCA, we donot make home visits to follow up on our adoptions.

They are all caring people, like you, and they spend
much of their time helping to ensure more animals get

Sometimes we get a certain kind of dog (and it isinto loving homes through their work in dog walking,primarily dogs) because the media gives that dog

cat socializing, etc. They only use positive reinforcement[breed] special coverage. This can make a certain typeas the method for training dogs and cats, though weof animal more popular than another. Miranda [thealso use the ʻclicker methodʼ. Clicker training is a very

previous speaker] mentioned Lassie and that was

positive way of training dogs and cats. We teach cats

certainly a very popular type of dog. In the U.S. we have

how to sit down using clicker training, and we teacha TV show called Frasier; which had a Jack Russell thatthem how to give a high five with positive

was beautifully trained. Few people understand how

reinforcement. We think that teaching cats a trickmuch work it takes to get a Jack Russell to behave likecertainly makes them appealing to new adopters.

that one on TV, but the show made it a very popular
breed. So we have to talk to people about the needs of

We also use the ʻgentle leaderʼ for dog training. Instead

dogs like a Jack Russell.

of the collar, this is like a harness around the dogʼs head
which uses pressure points on the dog so that it is easier

Recently we have seen quite a few Border Collies cometo train them to be good pets. Our adoptions

into our place because they are such adorable dogs

counseling and screening is as much about helping

when they are puppies. But you all know how muchpeople as it is helping animals, [slide 8]. Again, it iswork and training they need to make them into goodabout customer service - how you treat people who arehousehold pets. With President Obama getting awalking in your door. It is just as important to care

Portuguese Waterdog we do wonder how many we will

about the people as it is about successful adoptions.

be seeing in the next six months or a year because of

When people come to our facility to adopt an animal,

the increased prestige the breed now has.

we will generally assume that they are responsible,
compassionate, good people who are coming to us

Sometimes the media can really create frenzy around a

because they want to acquire their new family pet.

particular breed. That is where the adoptions

However, our adoption counselors also want to makecounseling and screening to make sure there is a goodsure that the adopters are making thoughtful, logicalmatch between the people and their animals is thedecisions.

right thing to do. Just a couple of weeks ago we had a
Border collie that had been adopted three times into

While none of us can predict the future of how our life

different families. On the third time I met the [newwill be in ﬁve years from now, we can still ask potential

owner] in the parking lot of the Humane Society. I knew

adopters if they are living in a place that allows pets, orthat the dog the gentleman had with him had alreadyif they are planning on moving, or if they are planningbeen adopted two times and I asked him, “Thatʼs ato have a baby. Considering the time that can be taken

fabulous dog. Do you have a lot of energy and time forup having a baby and acquire a dog at the same time.

this dog?” And he said, “Oh, yes. Oh, yes, I do.”We can ask if this is the right time to make those

Nevertheless, the next week I saw the same dog back at

decisions. Yet, at the Hawaiian Humane Society weour place.

tend to be more of an advisor. We provide people withinformation and hopefully guide them to thoughtful

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シェルター動物のケア・より良い譲渡に向けて

So for the next time I made sure that the dog went into

a home with a lot of other Border Collies to be sure that

Our two State daily newspapers promote our adoptions

the people really knew about the needs of that dog. So

each week. They promote a specific animal at no

far the dog has not come back. One thing that is very

charge to us. In addition, we also have a question andimportant for ensuring successful animal adoptions is toanswer column in the newspaper as well, which allows

make sure that your facilities are clean and attractive.

us to identify questions about adoptions or behavioral

They should be friendly looking. You should be

issues. We also pay for advertising in the newspaper inwelcoming too, and oﬀer visitors a greeting.

the classiﬁed section so that, when people are looking
to buy a pet, they automatically think about the

One of the things we have at our facility is a community

Hawaiian Humane Society.

cat house where cats, sometimes between 15 and 20
cats, are brought together in the same room, [slide 9].

We have also created a partnership with a pet supply

We welcome visitors into the cathouse room to sit oncompany called Petco. We place animals in their stores,

benches and to sit with the cats. They can see how

so that the animals can be adopted through themthese cats respond to them and find one they think israther than people buying their pets from elsewhere.

particularly friendly. In addition, we have on eachThis is an interesting slide [slide 11] because it askskennel card a proﬁle about the dog or the cat. We write

people “when you think about getting a pet, which

what we know about them, some highlights andplace do you think about ﬁrst?” The Hawaiian Humane

characteristics, and what their behavior is like - things

Society is the ﬁrst name to come to mind, at 38 percent.

we think are significant and that people may want to

However, later in the same interview when asked “fromknow, such as whether the animals is a high energy, or awhere did you get your pet?” 41 percent responded

low energy dog, whether they get along with children“from friends and family”. That is why it is so importantor with other dogs.

to aggressively market the fabulous animals you haveavailable for adoption because there are a lot ofAt any one time at our shelter, we will have about 300

competing demands in the community. People cananimals. There will be about 75 dogs and as many catseasily get a pet at no cost, or very little cost, and get one

waiting for adoption. So it is imperative through thevery impulsively.

use of, again, volunteers and staﬀ that the kennels are
kept clean and the dogs kept quiet so that potential

Again, it is important to be customer friendly and as

adopters donʼt imagine that the dogs will barkappealing as possible for adoptions, [slide 12]. We areincessantly when they get them home.

open seven days a week and we try to keep hours thatare convenient for the general public. So on weekdays,

Another issue relating to adoptions is that we manage a

we are open from 11:00 to 7:00 and at weekends from

lot of media-driven adoptions, [slide 10]. Just as I was

10:00 to 4:00. We look at the human traffic coming

criticizing the media a little about driving the wrong

through the Humane Society to decide what hours arekind of popularity with adoptions, the media are

the most eﬀective for us to be open.

actually critical partners for encouraging adoptions.
They are ʻtop of the lineʼ for acquiring an animal fromI also want to talk about the cost of adoptions, [slide 13].

the Hawaiian Humane Society.

We charge the public $65.00 for a cat or dog. But if thecat or dog is 6 years of age or over we do not charge

We promote adoptions through our interactive website

people who are 60 years and older themselves. So if

which allows people to look through pages and see

you are 60 years or older and if you adopt a cat or a dog

what dogs and cats are available for adoption. We also

over 6 years we waive the adoption fee.

have a television channel that promotes and gives

At certain times of year we also promote adoptions.

information about the animals available for adoption at

During ʻlove a cat monthʼ, for example, you can adopt

our shelter, and also promotes our events.

two cats for the price of one. We make ʻspecialsʼ toWorkshop Ⅳ Shelter Animal Care ̶ For Better Adoptions

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encourage people to come and acquire another animal

successful match - they do not need to feel guilty aboutfrom us. As I mentioned before, we do not conduct

returning the animal to us. Indeed, we encourage

post-adoption house visits as the RSPCA does. But what

people who have adopted an animal from us that didnʼt

we do provide is free healthcare for the animals

work out to please give us another opportunity to ﬁnd

adopted from us for a two week period of time. So if an

the right match for them and their family.

animal from us is adopted and, for example, comes
down with an upper respiratory infection (or someSo that is the overview of our animal adoption program.

other type of problem) the adopter can bring theAgain, I do want to say how important it is, for all of us

animal back to us and we will provide treatment at noin the shelter environment, to make sure that thecost for two weeks. In addition, if an animal is adopted

animals that we place out into the community (andfrom us, they can go to a community-participating

make available for adoption) reﬂect on the quality andveterinarian and the veterinarian will not charge

professionalism of our organizations. Then, the public

anything for the ﬁrst visit. They will give that animal a

can have confidence that the animals we are making

full evaluation so that, if there are health issues, they

available are indeed animals they can welcome into

can be addressed early on or the animal can be returned

their homes.

to us.
Thank you very much.
In addition for post-adoption we have trained
volunteers who call adopters at three days, three weeks
and three months post adoption to ask about animal
behavioral issues, [slide 14]. So if there are behavioral
issues that do not show up in the shelter, they can beaddressed while the animal is still at home. The mostcommon problem for cats is litter box issues, and thesooner this and other issues can be addressed, the more
successful we will be in keeping that cat in the home.
With dogs itʼs just behavior training and those dogs are
more responsive to people through positive
reinforcement when they get into their new home. Our
success rate (though maybe I shouldnʼt call it a successrate) can be measured, [slide 15]. We have adopted out
close to 6,000 animals and about 12 percent of the dogs
have been returned and 7 percent of the cats. We donʼtthink that that is a bad thing. When an animal, say adog, is placed in a home, how that dog behaved in the
shelter versus its behavior in the home with otheranimals (that the owner may have), may mean thatthings do not work out. A cat may not get along withanother cat.
We encourage people to adopt an animal and give it atry because you really donʼt know how that animal isgoing to behave in the home. But people know it is OK
to return the animal to us so that we can find a more

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