HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.032 2024-2026From: wbrown9752
Sent: Saturday, July 5, 2025 11:39 AM
To: Council Testimony o
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Subject: Oppose Bill 51
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Please oppose Bill 51.
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I have been caring for the cats at the Hilo transfer station, and feeding them has been essenti=o{
controlling the population by TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Release). It also keeps the cats there heatbhy
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less prone to disease. The real problem is the people who abandon cats there and insufficient resources
for affordable spay and neuter.
You can go to the Hilo transfer station to see how effective a Trap, Neuter, Release, and Manage program
can be.
I understand the concern, but this bill will cause suffering and penalize people who are actively working
to help solve the problem. The bill will make the situation worse, not better
What we need is for the county to work with the feeders and other caregivers.
1. If there are colonies where the cats are being fed and not trapped and neutered then resources need to
be found to begin a Trap, Neuter, Release, and Manage program for that colony.
2. Affordable spay and neuter needs to be available to residents.
3. Residents need to be educated about the importance of spaying and neutering and about the how to
access those resources.
4. More resources need to be available to people who are in transition and no longer are able to care for
their animals.
5. Pet abandonment laws need to be enforced. Almost all of the animals that I have encountered at the
transfer station were not born there, they were abandoned. The mortality rate for kittens is extremely
high.
Respectfully,
William Brown
Comm. N
Ref. To:.
Ref. Date �� 2025