Hui Pono Holoholona volunteers invite folks of all ages to their second annual Spay Day Rally from noon-3 p.m. Saturday at the Mo‘oheau Park Bandstand in downtown Hilo. ADVERTISING Hui Pono Holoholona volunteers invite folks of all ages to their
Hui Pono Holoholona volunteers invite folks of all ages to their second annual Spay Day Rally from noon-3 p.m. Saturday at the Mo‘oheau Park Bandstand in downtown Hilo.
“Everyone is invited to join in the fun activities. We’ll have free lucky-number drawings, an ‘Ask a Veterinarian’ booth, music, a silent auction, games and more,” said Frannie Pueo, founder of the nonprofit East Hawaii organization dedicated to the welfare of homeless animals. “Please come and show your support for ‘Low Cost Community Spay/Neuter for Our Island Dogs &Cats.’ Prevention is the better solution to animal overpopulation.”
More information about the organization is at www.hphhawaii.org.
The group has assisted in the sterilization of hundreds of animals during the past few years at its low-cost spay/neuter clinics in East Hawaii.
“Many wonder why HPH volunteer caregivers of a cat colony go out, rain or shine, each and every day to feed abandoned cats,” Pueo said. “Mainly because of their great love and concern for the welfare of the animals, with hopes to someday find them homes.”
Volunteers recently reunited three cats with their family after the cats were trapped and dumped by a neighbor.
“Days like that make our work even more rewarding,” said Pueo. “Abandoning animals is animal cruelty. Fortunately, they found their way to our HPH TNRM-Trap Neuter Return &Manage volunteers’ station and these precious felines, after two months being lost and starving, were reunited with their human family.”
Hui Pono Holoholona is still trying to gain approval to continue its Trap Neuter Return &Manage program at the Keaau Transfer Station.
The landowner informed the group volunteers must stop offering this free community service by June 1.
Anyone interested in helping with the group’s outreach activities, or supporting it in other ways, can call 968-8279 or email rally@hphhawaii.org.
“TNRM volunteers are not reimbursed for their time, nor their expenses,” said Pueo. “This is a true labor of love.”
Hui Pono Holoholona is a grassroots, all-volunteer nonprofit organization.
“We are dedicated to decreasing animal overpopulation humanely by offering truly low cost spay/neuter services to our Hawaii Island dogs and cats,” Pueo said. “HPH started as a spay/neuter animal group in 2007 because of the horrifically high euthanasia rates here. Our community is in crisis with out-of-control litter births of unwanted puppies and kittens; many are abandoned to starve, killed on our highways, or euthanized at shelters — over 1,000 every month, by our tax dollars.
“This is an unnecessary tragedy, and preventable by having a low-cost/no-cost spay and neuter program available to all. Hui Pono Holoholona walks the talk: To date, over 3,000 island cats and dogs have benefitted from our spay/neuter clinics, preventing the birth of millions of unwanted puppies and kittens on this island.
“At the Spay Day Rally, we will be distributing educational spay/neuter materials and holding a fundraising rally. Mahalo for your donation, no matter how small, for it helps to bring our community a humane alternative to unwanted litter births by supporting the life that exists.”
The event will feature music provided by Ron and Pam Harris and Dennis and Christy Soares.
Visit www.hphhawaii.org.
