Rescuing and protecting Oahu’s animals More than 115 years ago, on February 26, 1897, 26-yearold Helen Kinau Wilder was deputized as a special constable of the Marshal of the Republic of Hawaii, giving her animal cruelty enforcement authority. In 1900, there were 849 cases of animal mistreatment, which included 285 overworked horses and mules. The Humane Society walks a fine line between education and enforcement, exercising both based on what is best for the animals. Even with tougher laws in place, our influence as partners with pet owners often yields far better results for the animals than a citation. Our goal is to keep pets and people together and encourage the highest standards of animal care and compassion. Our humane investigators are helping animals island-wide – traveling 163,896 miles in response to 12,276 calls for service. Whenever you see our rescue trucks in your neighborhood, we’re saving a life and teaching owners how to be the best caregiver they can be.
At the turn of the century, Helen Kinau Wilder and her friends pooled their resources to hire a paniolo named Chang Apana as the Society’s officer to investigate animal crimes. Officer Apana was the real-life crime fighter who inspired author Earl der Biggers’ popular Charlie Chan series of detective novels.
Calls for Service Rescues & Emergencies
2,467
Cruelty Investigations
1,402
Loose & Aggressive Dogs
2,201
Honolulu Police Department Calls for Assistance
6
12,276
341