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The idea of a community board to oversea the contact etc. is unnecessary, you have a <br />contract and the Police Dept. can handle any complaints. I feel this would be not only <br />an additional expense but also a liability for the County. <br />Johnny Mays didnjt feel the contract should be split, however, he also stated he had no <br />experience with 2 organizations doing the same job for a County government. He then <br />suggests that the police department take over animal control and the Humane Societies <br />just do the sheltering. This is a ridiculous idea for many reasons. Of course for several <br />million dollars it could be done most effectively with the Police doing the whole job <br />because animal sheltering and animal control are tied together and dividing this process <br />would be a nightmare for records. For the police to just hire people to do animal <br />control without training in animal welfare, how to handle various animal behavior <br />problems etc. would not do much for providing education for the community. This <br />hasn't worked well in Kauai in the past. Honolulu and Maui both have animal control <br />contracts. Maui has the best program in the state, excellent sheltering and animal <br />control. Aimee Anderson instructs the police on how to handle a complaint when they <br />answer a call when the humane society isn't available. Their executive Director is Keith <br />Pocock, a retired police officer. Aimee Anderson has been trained by N.A.C.A. and also <br />attended classes by Eric Sakach from the Humane Society of the United States. I have <br />made arrangements for her to come over and visit with some of our administrators and <br />police. Maui Humane Society has an excellent rapport with the community even though <br />they issued 650 citations last year. The animals are extremely well cared for, cats have <br />a large communal cage where the visitors can enter as well as smaller glassed in areas. <br />The most understated comment in the whole report was "a significant level of <br />frustration among citizens during the on-site visit." The petitions from the West Hawaii <br />community asking for West Hawaii Humane Society be given the animal control <br />contract, documented records showing no citations given in Nest Hawaii for months on <br />end, the police department having to issue vicious dog notices, because Hawaii Island <br />Humane Society wouldn't do it, killing cats the day they arrived and not utilizing the <br />large communal cat cages, Kona and Waimea shelters closed Sundays and Mondays <br />and the Hilo shelter open 6 days a week 9 to 5:30, !lona open 4 days 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 <br />p.m. open until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, telling people with dog problems in their <br />neighbor to get a cage, constantly telling people who want a cat picked up 'that's not in <br />our contract" not building the Kona cat facility with money left for that purpose, where <br />did the money go? Etc. etc....Could these be some of the reasons for dissatisfaction in <br />the community. <br />'Nest Hawaii Humane Society and the community were very happy when the County <br />built the shelter in eldest Hawaii many years ago, we felt it was ours and worked to <br />a€nprove the facility adding fencing, intake cages, benches in the dogs kennels, raised <br />puppy pens where puppies were kept in shredded paper, automatic water bowls in all <br />kennels and sheet metal over the chain link to keep the animals apart, 12 additional <br />=dogs runs, grooming and laundry area, improved euthanasia area, with a table, and <br />fencing around the property. In Waimea we added 2 storage rooms, fencing, intake <br />cages and cover for the dog kennels to protect them from driving rain. Now the <br />