About Us
About Us
Our Story
Our Story 
Between 2019 and 2020, four dedicated cat lovers met and bonded over the idea that something more, and BIG, was needed to address the free-roaming cat problem on the Big Island. They had all been volunteering individually in Trap, Neuter, Return, Manage (TNRM) and cat colony management, and saw that the work they were doing was only slowing down, not solving, the never-ending cycle of kittens born wild, and being hit by cars or killed by predators or disease, while also posing a danger to local wildlife. Their brainchild is Aloha Animal Oasis.
Mission
Our mission is to substantially reduce the number of free-roaming cats on the Big Island in a humane way using TNRM and by providing a safe haven. In doing so, we will also improve the well-being of native wildlife, animals, and residents of the Big Island.
Vision Statement
Imagining the Big Island where no cats are without safe shelter.
Our Goal
Our goal is to reduce the free-roaming cat population of the Big Island. Aloha Animal Oasis has four main goals that will lead to a tangible impact on the free-roaming cat population:
Through our dedicated, capable team and the generosity of our donors, we believe the Big Island can get the free-roaming cat population under control.
Founders
John Hopf
President
John was born and raised in Wisconsin. After obtaining his MBA, he did a stint in the corporate world before feeling a calling for something bigger. Quitting his job and selling his possessions, he set off on a 3-yr adventure traveling the world, learning about other cultures. He finally settled in Hawaii, where he met his wife, started a family, and began a career as a realtor. In 2019, he started trapping free-roaming cats in his neighborhood, and this proved to be the first step in a consuming dedication to helping cats: colony management, trapping and fostering. He lives in Kailua Kona with his wife, daughter, two rescue dogs and more cats than he would like to admit.
Lori Luchette
Vice President
Lori has been an animal lover since early childhood when she had a menagerie of stuffed animals rather than dolls. Her family has also included (live) furry members all her life. After a career in Silicon Valley, first in technology and then in real estate, in 2017, Lori moved with her gray tabby, Noni, to her favorite vacation destination, Kona, where she began volunteering for both a community TNRM group and the local animal shelter and adopted Archie, an orange tabby. She has been caring for a community cat colony, providing regular feedings and meds, as well as trapping cats to take them in for veterinary care, soliciting donations for their care, and organizing adoption fairs. She has certainly been earning her stripes as a 'crazy cat lady'!
Kathleen Hottenroth
Secretary
'Kat' was born and raised in the Los Angeles area and has been an animal lover and cat person her whole life. After attending Cerritos College, she worked at United Parcel Service for 31 years while raising her four children with her husband Eric. In 2017, she visited the Big Island and felt an overwhelming need to help the homeless animals. She knew then that she would retire on the Big Island and help make a difference for the animals in need. Kat moved to the Big Island in 2020 with her husband and three rescue kitties: Monkey, Ferris and Raisin. She has been involved in spay/neuter clinic operations, cat adoptions, colony management and TNRM ever since, and has added kitties Hopper, Gertie, and Murphy to her family.