HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0091.058 2022-2024 P/Council
Oill 22.
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From: Action 4 Animals
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2023 6:39 PM
To: Council Testimony ' `'
Subject Communication 91 re Bill 22—Creating an Animal Control & ProtectionAgen ':
NO
To whom it may concern,
In this letter regarding Bill 22 and the establishment of a new Animal Control and Protectict Agency, I
would like to speak primarily to the importance of a state-supported spay/neuter program uThe '-":c
following is on behalf of Action4Animals Hawaii
I am a transplanted Canadian living on the Big Island for over 23 yrs. The deplorable condition of our
island animals was immediately evident in the neighborhoods I live(d) in and communities I visit(ed). I
have been a Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary volunteer for almost 20yrs, with 7 yrs of weekly
volunteering at Cat Cares, and intermittent volunteering at the Hawaii Island Humane Society. I am
the current president of Action4Animals Hawaii. It is with deep sadness and distress that I have not
observed any improvements in the number and visibility of unwanted, neglected, and abused cats
and dogs. Much of this can be changed by revising the many laws in question in other testimonials.
Pointedly, one of the responses to these unwanted, discarded cats and dogs has been to euthanize
them in extraordinary numbers when in fact, we should be spaying and neutering thereby
eliminating the need for tragically high rates of euthanasia.
I am also an anthropologist that studies the culture of animals and I have conducted community
research in east Hawaii on how people (dis)value dogs. I also completed a study in 2015-2016 in our
Kona and Kea'au shelters when they had the animal control contract. I analyzed the stress levels via
cortisol, the primary stress hormone, in both the shelter workers and the dogs. Shelter workers are
general drawn to their occupation because of a passion for animals, however, in having to euthanize
animals, and'dogs in particular, they are in an emotional and ethical conundrum identified as the
`caring-killing paradox' . The rates of euthanasia were so high in both shelters, but especially the
Kea'au shelter, that the first 2 hrs of the staffs work day was spent killing the very animals they had
been caring for resulting in high stress levels. No one should be subjected to this as part of their work
day. Ironically, the high euthanasia rates have resulted in a lot of community backlash when in fact, it
is a community problem stemming from a lack of spay/neuter options. I also found the dogs in
Kea'au to have high rates of stress reflecting not the shelter conditions but the conditions they were in
before entering the shelter. This is another biological indicator of the pervasive mistreatment of
undervalued dogs in our community. As a point of reference regarding our past euthanasia rates,
which have minimally improved, a study of 54 shelter managers in the U.S. found that on average
shelters euthanize 896 dogs and cats annually. Shelter workers in that study reported sadness,
crying, anger, and depression. To highlight the enormity of the burden of euthanasia on the island of
Hawaii in 2015-2016, the Kea'au shelter euthanized 5302 dogs and cats in 2015 and the Kona shelter
euthanized 996 dogs and cats in 2016. The emotional burden on shelter workers is unacceptably
high and the situation of animal overpopulation is inhumane to the animals and to the county
employees charged to look after them. We need to decrease the number of animals on this island by
humane methods. (� �jf�
Comm. N . "1 ' v V
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Ref.
rIWUnos 1
Ref. Date FEB 2 2 2023
THE ONLY SOLUTION IS MASS SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND
ACCESSIBLE.
The establishment of a new Animal Control agency should be data-driven with progressive and
forward-thinking animal welfare policies in place. Spay/neuter programs should be coupled with
mass campaigns to educate the public in becoming a more conscientious and caring community with
regards to our domesticated animals. We also need to support animal control employees in
numerous ways including reducing their stress load through effective animal welfare laws and
policies. Animal Control employees can have better emotional and psychological health and be
supported in their choice of a humane profession if the animal overpopulation on our island is better
managed.
In 2022, A4A Hawaii adopted out over 300 cats and 30+ dogs. However, all groups have reached a
saturation point with adoptions decreasing across the island.
There are numerous non-profit animal welfare organizations on this island, including Action4Animals
Hawaii, which would gladly work with the county and with the newly established Animal Control
Agency to address animal welfare on our island.
Sincerely,
Lynn Morrison, PhD
President, Action4Animals Hawaii
In 2022, A4A Hawaii adopted out over 300 cats and 30+ dogs. However, all groups have reached a
saturation point with adoptions decreasing across the island.
Action4Animals Hawaii
A Community-based group of Volunteers in East Hawaii
FB: Action4Animals Hawaii
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