Hawaiian Humane Society
Newsletter People for animals. Animals for people.
October – November 2019
A gilded life for the golden years When beginning a search for a new dog, many people have visions of leading a squirmy 8-week-old bundle of fluff through their long journey through life. But many are surprised that when strolling through their local humane society they make a connection with an older animal; a wise senior pet who has learned her basic commands or even some nifty tricks. November is National Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month and below are stories of a few pets who are now living a gilded life for their golden years.
Meleana, a senior dog adopted from the Hawaiian Humane Society, enjoys the beach life with her family
Her age did not stop them from wanting to bring her home and they made Meleana a part of their family that very day. Despite her 11 years, she still had a certain puppy-like spirit that was enchanting. Said Punilani of adopting a senior pet, “For people who are on the fence about adopting an older animal, I would tell them to first remove age out of your state of mind and instead really sit with them, one-on-one. See if there is a connection. Like they say, age is just a number and unconditional love is timeless.” Meleana is now living the life of an office dog, hanging out with Punilani in downtown Honolulu. Her mellow personality has allowed her to fit right in at the advertising agency from 9 to 5, then it’s off to home for a good night’s sleep from a hard day of napping at work.
Meleana An electrifying connection stopped Punilani Buakarnthong in her tracks. Punilani had stopped by the Hawaiian Humane Society for a meeting and decided to stroll around campus Dr. Kasey to visit the Society’s Adoption Center. Amongst the wideCarter, the Society's array of cats, guinea pigs and rabbits, there were also a chief veterinarian helped Pepe back to number of dogs that were clamoring for her attention. health. Pepe has his One in particular, a scruffy 11-year-old terrier mix forever home with with gentle, dark eyes made her stop short. Punilani Mark Recktenwald & Dr. Gailynn quickly called her boyfriend, Issac Kalahiki. That Williamson. afternoon they were back. “When we looked at Meleana’s face, especially her eyes, there was a connection that was electric,” said Punilani. “It felt like there was this gravitational force that was pulling us towards her which couldn’t be ignored—even if we tried.”
Pepe & Cassie Although bringing an older pet home from the shelter or rescue can have its own unique challenges, there are many families who are up to the task. Mark Recktenwald and Dr. Gailynn Williamson were hoping to find a dog that either was a senior or had health issues. At the time, there were two dogs continued on page 3