Category: Member News

Update on Maui Wildfire Response

August 14, 2023

Remember that disaster response is a marathon, not a sprint. Here is an update communicated to us by the team working under Maui Humane Society (MHS). 

Due to the severity of the fire and limited access following the event due to safety concerns, there were not nearly the amount of burn survivors as was anticipated. Most likely, those that could be saved have already been rescued, though the field teams are still looking. Thankfully many people were able to evacuate with their pets.

The next phase will include long term community outreach for those who are now living in Lahaina, Napili, and Kapalua, as they no longer have vets on the west side of the island. MHS is leading this effort. They and other nonprofit organizations will have mobile units in West Maui starting tomorrow that will need to be staffed. There won’t be a need for many trained vet professionals all at once, but more likely over a long period of time. We will be helping MHS coordinate the pool of volunteers.

If you are interested, please fill out this online form with your interest/availability in longer term volunteer efforts.

There have been many, many hours of meetings attended by HVMA leadership, Dr. Aleisha Swartz (primary HVMA liaison to HiEMA/ State Emergency Support Functions), Dr. Nate Lam (volunteer), MHS staff, all government agencies (county, state, fed) and non-governmental organizations (e.g. American Red Cross, ASPCA). We are doing our best to identify needs and respond appropriately in a rapidly changing and challenging situation. The right people are getting in place for the long term plan. Emergency management meetings are discussing the following considerations: getting feed & water to livestock whose pasture has burnt, disease management from decomposition, marine pollution, trapping feral/strays when they re-emerge, short and long term sheltering and feeding of displaced people and pets, keeping families together with pets, veterinary needs, etc.

HVMA’s role in this emergency currently is supportive to governmental agencies and organizations like MHS that are acting under the emergency declaration. We are making every effort to coordinate volunteers, gather information on needs, and share information on resources and identify information and needs gaps. We are also coordinating support offered from national organizations such as AVMF. Most of our time and work is remote and we may need remote volunteer support for this as well, as the board is all volunteering their time to coordinate this effort.

A call to action- if your HVMA membership is not current please RENEW today! The more members we have, the stronger we are in times like this, and the more resources we have to support these efforts.

We hope this helps with some of the questions and anticipation out there. Thanks again for all your care, concern, kokua, and patience! We are proud to be a part of the HVMA and the Hawaii vet community. Let’s continue to make our community stronger!

Your HVMA Board

HVMA List of Veterinarians

The Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association aims to gain information about our veterinarians practicing in Hawaii. We are gathering information about current veterinarians practicing in Hawaii, which includes hospital/clinic/employment names, year of graduation, and number of veterinarians practicing at your location. This list will help the HVMA board better serve the veterinary community with education, mentorship, and support. All obtained information below will be kept private and confidential for reference of the HVMA only. 

Please take your time to complete the HVMA List of Veterinarians form here.

If you work with a veterinarian or colleague who isn’t already an HVMA member, please share the form above with them and welcome them to check out our website.

Maui Wildfire Disaster Response

October 8, 2023 – The Maui Humane Society continues to coordinate ongoing relief efforts to the people and animals impacted by the Maui Wildfires. Thank you to all those who have already volunteered your time and finances to support these efforts. There is still a need for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/assistants, so please sign up for volunteer shifts here. 

Additionally, the HVMA has received a grant from the AVMF to provide reimbursements for airfare for volunteers traveling inter-island to assist the Maui Humane Society. To qualify for this reimbursement, you will need to sign up for your volunteer shift(s) through HVMA and submit your airfare receipts to us. Reimbursement will be made by check after your shift(s) are completed and you have submitted at least 2 pictures taken during your shift(s) for use by AVMF. 

8/19/2023 Update Meeting Minutes (members only access)

August 27, 2023 – The Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association would like to thank Adjutant General Kenneth Hara and Brigadier General Steve Logan with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency for their efforts working with MEMA (Maui Emergency Management Agency) and Maui Humane Society to help Animal Search and Rescue teams gain access to previously restricted areas on Saturday August 26th. We acknowledge that efforts to search for pet animal survivors are necessarily secondary to ensuring the safety of personnel entering the burn zone and safely securing human remains. 

It is important to clarify that steps to provide for animal survivors in the burn zone were taken even when Animal Search & Rescue teams were not allowed access. A FEMA veterinarian has been stationed in the burn zone supporting the canine search teams, and she oversees the delivery of any animals found alive by first responders to the Maui Humane Society for medical care. Food and water were left in various areas throughout the burn zone for any other animals that were hiding from the response teams. 

We encourage all who want to provide care to animals in this or future disasters to complete the free FEMA training (ICS 100/200 & IS 700/800) and Community Emergency Response training so they can understand how to best participate in response situations and help their communities.

Our hearts go out to the people and animals affected by the fires on Maui and Big Island. In addition to government efforts, the Maui Humane Society, HVMA, and local vets are organizing the veterinary emergency response. 

We are so grateful for the mass outpouring of support to the Maui community. Veterinary professional volunteers are needed to assist Maui Humane Society efforts to serve the people and animals affected by the wildfires. Please sign up here if you are interested, and we will contact you as shifts become available.

Monetary donations are always welcome. Here are a few of the organizations working on the ground:
https://www.mauihumanesociety.org/donate-olx/
https://hawaii.salvationarmy.org/hawaii_2/maui-location/
https://www.redcross.org/local/hawaii.html
AVMA American Veterinary Medical Fund
https://www.hirangelandstewardship.org/

If you would like to support our veterinary colleagues who lost their practices in the fire:
Dr. Leo Murakami, Lahaina Veterinary Clinic
West Maui Animal Clinic

Help foster a pet! Home to home is helping connect people in need looking for temporary housing for their pet while they are displaced from their homes.

Maui Humane Society has reported they may have a need for feed for large animals including horses, cattle, goats, and pigs. If you are interested in donating any large animal feed or supplies, please contact public_relations@hawaiivetmed.org. For cattle feed/supply donations, please contact the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council.

Updates on Pet Transport Off Maui

Please join our Facebook page for the most up to date communication among the vet community (Hawaii vets only but HVMA membership not required)

Contact HVMA if you have other questions, concerns, or suggestions at public_relations@hawaiivetmed.org.

Additional information from our AVMA colleagues:

There are AVMF disaster grants that may be of help to some members.

  • Disaster reimbursement grants for veterinary medical care, up to $5,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by veterinarians providing emergency veterinary medical care to animal victims of disasters. 
  • Disaster relief grants for veterinarians & veterinary students, up to $2,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred immediately following a disaster. Copies of receipts or other approved documentation must be submitted along with the application form.

AVMA has several resources on disaster preparation, including:

Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Business Continuity Certificate Program

Veterinary First Responder Certificate Program

Last updated October 8, 2023

Pet Expo 2023

The 31st Annual Hawaii Pet Expo was a huge hit this weekend!!! Thank you to Ohana Veterinary Hospital, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, all sponsors, vendors, volunteers, community members, families, and friends for all your generous help and support. It was incredible to meet and see everyone after three years away from the expo. Your participation meant the world to us; we couldn’t have done it without you all there. Mahalo again for your efforts. We’re looking forward to next year’s Hawaii Pet Expo! 

HVMA Mentorship Program

The HVMA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM is still looking for mentees and mentors who are interested in connecting with the Hawaii veterinary community! The program is aimed to provide guidance for mentees who are recent graduate veterinarians who graduated from 2018 to 2023 while building strong, long-lasting relationships among the veterinarians in Hawaii. Mentors have the opportunity to provide knowledge, skills, and experience to recent graduate veterinarians on various topics! Interested in being a part of the HVMA Mentorship program? We’d love for you to join us! 

Sign up here: 

Mentee Application

Mentor Application 

In addition, the HVMA Mentorship program has collaborated with “MentorVet”, which is a five-month, 5-10 CE RACE virtual mentorship and professional development program that promotes wellbeing in the transition to practice with a combination of training in professional skills, financial and mental health coaching, and mentorship. HVMA members who are part of the HVMA mentorship are eligible for a DISCOUNTED registration for the MentorVet program. Want to learn more about “MentorVet”? Reach out to Addie Reinhard at addie@mentorvet.net or visit https://www.mentorvet.net/.

Canines in Conservation

We all know that dog sniffers are powerful and sensitive. But did you know that our beloved canines are fast becoming one of the key partners in conservation in Hawai‘i? Conservation Dogs of Hawai‘i is a nonprofit, Honolulu-based team of dedicated animal behaviorists that collaborates with researchers, biologists, and natural resource managers to train willing dogs in services such as detection of invasive plants and animals, agricultural pests, carcasses (for avian botulism prevention), cryptic seabird burrows, and providing support to biosecurity needs. CDH began in 2016 under the leadership of founder Kyoko Johnson. Their projects have helped in the efforts to reduce the spread of the invasive devil weed, a plant that is toxic to livestock, and listed as #23 on the 100 World’s Worst Invasive Species list. They have a growing role in supporting efforts to eradicate coqui frogs on Maui. CDH also offers a free Education Program, workshops on canine scent detection, and has projects reaching further afield in other island ecosystems and communities across the Pacific. The best way to keep tabs on what this exciting group is up to is on their Instagram @conservationdogshawaii. 

One Health Collaboration

Michelle Barbieri, DVM, MS, speaks to first and second-year medical students at the John A. Burns School of Medicine One Health Symposium in September. Dr. Barbieri is a Veterinary Medical Officer with NOAA and currently leads the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. She shared her passion for conservation medicine and ecosystem health through the lens of her work with the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, discussing her team’s approach to threats posed from toxoplasmosis, canine distemper (morbillivirus), stray fishing gear, and rising sea levels. Her engaging presentation helped demonstrate the One Health concept: the inextricable interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health.

Meet a New Member

Jenn Kishimori, DVM, PhD

Dr. Jennifer M. Kishimori (“Jenn”) recently moved back home to Oahu after retiring from the U.S. Army as a Colonel in 2021. Jenn grew up in Aiea and overseas in Camp Zama, Japan, and attended Johns Hopkins University (BA, Biology, 1992) and North Carolina State University (DVM, 2003). She earned a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Hawaii with the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology in 2010, where she studied a fish parasite affecting aquacultured amberjack. During her 22 years on active duty, Jenn served as a clinical veterinarian in North Carolina and South Korea, and then in medical research assignments in the Washington D.C. area, culminating in developing COVID-19 public health policies for the Department of Defense.

Over the past year, Jenn has volunteered with sea turtle rehabilitation at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD and wildlife rehabilitation at City Wildlife in Washington, DC. She is currently a consultant for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership Research Team, working on treatments for aquacultured fishes.

Jenn is excited to be back in Hawaii, where she hopes to balance family life, fun, and veterinary opportunities. She and her husband, Colonel (Retired) Dave Perrine have one rescued poi dog,“Miss Lani Belle.”

Board Nominations 2022

The HVMA Annual Business Meeting will be held on Saturday November 12 from 12-1pm at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel in the Prince Jonah Room. Even if you are unable to attend the conference, all HVMA members and interested veterinarians are welcome to attend the business meeting. This year elections for board positions will also be held.

Our current slate of board nominees are as follows:
President-elect: Heather Kihara
Vice-President: Malia Lyons
Secretary: Jamie Furutani
Treasurer: Caren Tamura-Taira
AVMA delegate: Carolyn Naun
AVMA alternate delegate: Jenee Odani
Maui County delegate: Leo Murakami
Hawaii County delegate: Jacob Head
Executive Vice-President: Jill Yoshicedo

Other nominations may also be made at the Annual Business Meeting. If you are interested in serving on the board or on any of our committees, please speak to any current board member. We would love to have your participation!