HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.060 2024-2026From: Diana Dexter
Sent: Sunday, July 6, 2025 1:07 PM
To: Council Testimony
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Subject: OPPOSE BILL 51
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Dear Members of the Hawaii County Council,
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I am writing to express my strong opposition to any proposed ordinance tlTat
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would criminalize the feeding of feral animals on county property.
Every day, compassionate volunteers across the island dedicate their time and
resources to feeding, spaying, neutering, and caring for abandoned and feral
animals. These caretakers are not the cause of the feral population problem —
they are part of the solution. Without their efforts, the situation would worsen:
animals would reproduce unchecked, and many would starve, suffer, and die
slow, painful deaths.
Criminalizing these volunteers sends the wrong message. Instead of punishing
the people who are working tirelessly to manage this crisis humanely, we
should be supporting them. Enforcing such a ban would not only lead to animal
suffering, but it would also undermine years of community -driven efforts to
control feral populations through proven methods like trap -neuter -return
(TNR).
I urge the Council to consider more compassionate, effective, and science -
based solutions to address the feral animal issue — ones that support
collaboration, not criminalization.
Thank you for your time and service.
Sincerely,
Diana Dexter
dianalopezdexter@gmail.com
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