The Hawaii Island Humane Society is raising money to purchase a vehicle for a mobile spay and neuter clinic.
The nonprofit, which contracts with the county for animal control services, says a mobile clinic will allow it to fix more animals in rural areas such as Ka‘u and Hawi.
It’s seeking to purchase a $200,000, 26-foot specialty vehicle that would be a “one-stop shop” for spaying and neutering, said Whitney Sickels, who handles fund development for HIHS. The vehicle would have built-in surgery and medical equipment along with kennels for waiting animals, Sickels said.
HIHS is trying to raise $100,000 by February, which would be matched by the Laurence H. Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation. HIHS has raised nearly $60,000 so far.
“It all boils down to the pet overpopulation problem on our island and the need to help our community, especially in rural and low-income areas,” Sickels said. “We want everyone to spay and neuter their pets in order to decrease shelter intake numbers and, ultimately, euthanization numbers.”
HIHS has been criticized in the past for high euthanization rates but has contended the problem is partly because of its open-accept policy, coupled with too many unfixed animals on the island.
Last year, the county increased its share of funding to HIHS for spay/neuter coupons, Sickels said. The HIHS is budgeted $221,600 this year to distribute 2,720 coupons. Coupons can be reimbursed at shelters or private veterinary clinics.
HIHS spayed and neutered 5,484 animals this past fiscal year, Sickels said, which is up 21.5 percent compared with the year prior. She said the shelter intake number islandwide was 12,973 dogs and cats, down 28 percent from 2012 when it took in 18,104.
She said spay and neuter services have gradually “eliminated the excuse of cost” for many pet owners, but “now it’s really transportation and time.”
Fixing a single animal can require up to three trips to the shelter, including a visit to acquire the coupon, and two separate trips to pick up and drop off an animal, Sickels said.
“Which, if you’re in Ocean View, the closest shelter is more than 50 miles each time,” she said.
The mobile spay and neuter vehicle could take about six months to arrive. It would park at easy-to-access areas, such as post offices and department store parking lots.
Operational costs would be funded through grants, sponsorships and private donations, and those costs are expected to be minimal to start — just gas and supplies. Sickels said the vehicle would operate contingent on need, along with staff and volunteer availability.
“On average, we can (fix) 25 animals in a day, so really if we only do it twice per month, that’s an extra 600 animals we could spay and neuter,” Sickels said. “The potential is there. If the community is willing to drive five minutes for us, we would love to spay and neuter every day. We’ll start out slowly and as awareness is raised, hopefully we can (increase the number of animals fixed).”
To donate online, visit hihs.org/item/help-get-us-rolling online. You also can mail a check, call or stop by any shelter. Donations should be marked for the mobile spay and neuter clinic.
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
