HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.116 2024-2026Amanda Kaahanui
Hawaii County Council
Re: Opposition to Bill 51
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF 8AWA11
2025 JUL -7 Am tI.. o5
Aloha. My name is Amanda Kaahanui and I am a concerned Puna district resident. I am
testifying today in opposition of Bill 51, that criminalizes feeding community cats on
County property.
Organizations and community partners have been caring for abandoned and feral cats at
places like the Kea'au Transfer station and I am grateful to them for doing so. This helps to
monitor the population, they trap and fix a lot of these kitties so they don't continue to
contribute to the population, and watch for health concerns that could affect the feral
population as well as our domestic kitties.
Instead of criminalizing organizations and caring community citizens, we need to support
them. Offer County spay/neuter programs. Create a map of where the kitties are and what
current numbers are at each location. Your community partners can provide the man
power to keep track of the colonies. Provide small grants to help feed, vaccinate, spay and
neuter and monitor these kitties. Starving them is not the answer, its cruel. Having
colonies of sick kitties is not the answer, its dangerous. If they don't have access to food
and clean water at the transfer stations, they will seek it elsewhere, going to private
properties where thy could injure or infect our domestic populations. We need to work
together. At the very least, our community rescues & volunteers need to be exempt from
any feeding laws. We also need greater enforcement of anti -abandonment laws. I recently
rescued 3 tiny kittens, left in the mud to die. There are no consequences for people who do
this.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. Your consideration of these matters are
much appreciated.
Comm. R 70A 1 b
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