HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0193.006 2024-2026From: drkelly
Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 11:09 AM
To: Council Testimony, lauren@alohaanimals.org
Subject: support for Aloha Animal Alliance Pilot Project
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to express my full support for Aloha Animal Alliance's proposed pilot community cat
spay/neuter program. As a veterinarian committed to the health and well-being of animals, I have seen
firsthand the positive impact that spaying and neutering has on animal populations, particularly in
managing community cat numbers and improving their quality of life.
Community cats, often referred to as feral or stray cats, face a range of challenges, including
overpopulation, disease, and injury. Without proper intervention, these populations can quickly grow
beyond control, leading to increased suffering for the cats, risks to endangered native animals, and public
health concerns for the surrounding communities. Whiel mass culling of the cats and/or transporting all
the cats off island would be the quickest solution, it is not humane or even realistic given our limited
resources. Spaying and neutering these cats is a humane, effective, and sustainable solution to reducing
these issues.
Controlling feeding of the cats will also reduce risk that native species are eating cat food as well as
decrease the risk of excess cat food attracting rodents, which arguably carry worse diseases than the cats.
The pilot program's focus on counting, spaying/neutering, and then closely monitoring this group of cats
will not only help curb the growth of the feral population in this area but also provide opportunities for
local communities to become more involved in animal welfare. This initiative will reduce the number of
unwanted litters, lower the likelihood of cat -related diseases, and reduce risk to native endangered
species.
I fully support the efforts of this program and believe by starting here we can expand it in the future
making a significant, positive difference for both the cats and the communities they inhabit, island wide.
As a veterinarian, I am confident in the importance of these measures, and I am available to offer any
professional guidance or expertise to help ensure the program's success.
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this important
initiative.
Sincerely,
Kelly Foster DVM
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