About Hawai'i Animal Advocacy
Building Science-Based Solutions for Animals, Wildlife, and Communities
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OUR MISSION
Hawaiʻi Animal Advocacy (HAA) is a Hawaiʻi-based nonprofit organization advancing humane, evidence-based solutions for animal welfare, community cat management, native wildlife protection, and public policy.
We believe lasting solutions require more than simple narratives or political slogans. Complex challenges demand science, accountability, collaboration, and measurable outcomes.
Our work focuses on developing practical strategies that reduce animal suffering, protect native species, improve public health, and strengthen communities across Hawaiʻi.
At the center of our work is a simple principle:
Humane policy should also be effective policy.
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WHY HAA EXISTS
For decades, debates involving community cats and wildlife in Hawaiʻi have often become polarized.
One side focuses on animal welfare.
Another focuses on conservation.
Too often, both sides talk past one another.
Meanwhile, cat populations continue to grow, wildlife conflicts persist, public resources are wasted, and communities become increasingly divided.
HAA was founded to help move the conversation beyond ideology and toward science-based solutions that address root causes rather than symptoms.
We believe Hawaiʻi can protect native wildlife while also treating animals humanely.
These goals are not mutually exclusive.
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THE COEXISTENCE FRAMEWORK™
In 2026, HAA released The Coexistence Framework™, a science-based management model designed to balance animal welfare, conservation priorities, public health, and community concerns.
The framework recognizes that different environments require different management approaches.
PET ZONE
Owned cats should be sterilized, identified, responsibly managed, and prevented from contributing to free-roaming populations.
COMMUNITY ZONE
Community cats should be managed through targeted Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), adoption, monitoring, caretaker accountability, and measurable population reduction.
WILDLIFE ZONE
Sensitive ecological areas require specialized management strategies developed in coordination with conservation professionals and wildlife managers.
The framework emphasizes adaptive management, continuous evaluation, and measurable outcomes rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
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OUR APPROACH
HAA promotes policies and programs that are:
• Humane
• Science-based
• Transparent
• Accountable
• Outcome-focused
• Consistent with Aloha ʻĀina values
We support:
• Targeted high-impact Trap-Neuter-Return programs
• Adoption and rescue initiatives
• Responsible pet ownership
• Community education
• Data-driven decision making
• Wildlife protection efforts based on conservation science
• Public accountability for program outcomes
We oppose policies that rely solely on feeding bans, starvation, ineffective enforcement, or simplistic approaches that fail to address underlying causes.
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CONSERVATION ACCOUNTABILITY
Protecting Hawaiʻi's native wildlife requires more than assigning blame.
Conservation success depends on understanding all contributing factors, including habitat loss, introduced predators, disease, environmental change, infrastructure impacts, and human activities.
HAA advocates for evidence-based conservation practices that follow accepted scientific standards and accurately identify causes of wildlife mortality before policy decisions are made.
Real conservation requires rigorous science, transparency, and accountability.
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COMING SOON:
THE CONSERVATION EVALUATION RUBRIC™
HAA is developing a Conservation Evaluation Rubric that will provide an objective framework for evaluating wildlife management proposals, public policies, conservation programs, and mortality investigations.
The goal is simple:
Raise the standard for conservation decision-making in Hawaiʻi.
The rubric will help ensure that claims, recommendations, and policies are evaluated against established scientific principles rather than assumptions, ideology, or political pressure.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Greg "Puʻuwai Aloha" Baker, MBA
President & Executive Director
Greg Baker is the founder of Hawaiʻi Animal Advocacy and author of The Coexistence Framework™.
He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and earned a Community Cat Program Management Certificate through the University of the Pacific, studying humane population management, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), shelter operations, and community engagement under nationally recognized community cat expert Stacey LeBaron.
A resident of Hawaiʻi Island for more than 23 years, Greg has worked extensively in community cat management, personally participating in the sterilization of more than 100 cats through direct trapping efforts and volunteer service with PetFix Spay/Neuter MASH clinics.
In 2025, Greg led community opposition to Hawaiʻi County Bill 51, organizing a petition that gathered more than 7,500 signatures and helping elevate statewide discussion regarding humane, science-based approaches to community cat management.
His work increasingly focuses on bridging the divide between animal welfare and conservation through evidence-based policy, public education, and practical solutions that improve outcomes for both animals and wildlife.
Hung "Adam" Nguyen
Secretary
Josette "KumuK" Kaohu
Treasurer
ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS
Hawaiʻi Animal Advocacy is a Hawaiʻi nonprofit organization.
Federal EIN: 39-3399667
HAA operates as an advocacy and public education organization focused on animal welfare, conservation policy, and community engagement throughout Hawaiʻi.