Luana Scanlan was born and raised on the North Shore of O’ahu, Hawai’i. She doesn’t remember a time, even in college, when she didn’t have a dog or cat by her side. Luana has a Bachelor’s in Sociology and an MBA with a focus in health administration.
In 2001, she left a career in banking to move with her Samoan husband and two children to Tutuila. Within a year she had adopted two puppies and three kittens and realized how many neglected animals there were on the small island. Teaming up with local animal advocates fighting for government funding and policy change to support sustainable veterinary care, Luana had the privilege of volunteering beside Dr. Brenda Smith and Dr. Kristen Jensen at village spay/neuter clinics, community outreach and education. She learned so much from these two generous and committed women.
Today, she continues to foster puppies and kittens (with several foster fails), and provides a home for nine cats and six dogs – all of them rescued – and continues to advocate despite a more resource constrained environment. Luana believes that partnerships and collaboration are critical to the fight to improve the lives of the islands’ animal population.
Coconut Mutts 