ANIMAL COMPANIONS
Take steps to ensure safety of your pets

• Adoptables

Hawaiian Humane Society

Those listening to the radio on the morning of July 9 heard the harrowing tale of a cat who was sitting, terrified, in the median strip of H-1 near the zipper lane in Pearl City. Some radio stations reported that the cat had died, but this cat was very much alive, just lost and frightened.

Steve, Lori and Ciana Kim were among the hundreds of people that whizzed by in their cars as the cat sat riveted in the median. But when they saw the terrified cat, they couldn't just drive on. They exited the freeway and came all the way back around, slipping into the closed zipper lane so they could stop on the freeway.

With the help of a state highway worker, they scooped up the cat and drove straight to the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Once rescued, the cat was treated for minor injuries by Hawaiian Humane Society veterinarians and reunited with his grateful owners the next day.

Loose animals are not safe in any neighborhood (especially near busy streets) and rely on caring individuals to help them find their way home again. Here are things you can do to keep Hawai'i's companion animals safe.

• If you see an animal in danger, call the humane society immediately. On O'ahu, the society responds to animal-related emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

  Phone 946-2187, ext. 285 if you see an animal in distress. Neighbor Islanders should call these humane societies:

  Kaua'i 632-0610; Maui 877-3680; Kona 329-1175; Waimea 885-4558; Kea'au 966-5458.

• Don't let your pets roam. The best way to keep your pets safe is to not let them loose outdoors. Keep dogs in a fenced yard or on a leash when on walks, and keep your cat safe at home — indoors, in an outdoor cattery or in a yard protected with cat fencing. Pets that are allowed to roam face life-threatening hazards such as traffic, pesticides and other animals.
  
  
• Remember that a car's interior can quickly reach 120 degrees. Even with the windows open, a pet left in the car could quickly suffer from heatstroke. So never leave animals alone inside your car, even for a few minutes. If you see a dog in distress, call the humane society or 911.
  
  
• Keep your dogs safe while riding in the back of a pickup truck. Dogs who ride in the beds of pickup trucks must be secured safely in a carrier or cross-tethered at three points in the truck bed to prevent them from being thrown from the vehicle. Protect pets riding inside your vehicle, too.

  Consider using a crate or a doggie seatbelt for your pet's safety.

• Make sure your animals wear ID If your pet becomes lost, its identification is the best way for your pet to find its way home.

  Write your phone number on your pet's collar, use a tag, or get microchip ID for permanent identification. If your pet already has a microchip, update your address or phone information by calling the Humane Society during business hours, 946-2187, ext. 0.

• Get a $5 microchip ID. In September, you can get a pet microchip for $5 at some O'ahu veterinary clinics. Call 946-2187 ext. 370 for the list.

  Also, the Hawaiian Humane Society will offer $5 microchip IDs on Sept. 7, 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

  No appointment is necessary.

Margo

Tag No. 2508

This friendly cat has a coat of white with orange spots around her head and shoulders, plus a vibrant calico tail. This loving lifetime companion has eyes in a shimmering shade of light green. Look for Margo lounging in Room 1 at the Cat House.

Baby

Tag No. 3067

Though this year-old technically isn't a baby anymore, this bouncy terrier mix is a well-mannered adolescent. Baby is solid black with a fluffy medium coat and long wagging tail. She is already full grown and not too big, not to small. She's just right!