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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0283.171 2024-2026From: Alice M c-3 Sent: Friday, July 4, 2025 3:32 PM To: Council Testimony Subject: Testimony Testimony Supporting Bill 51 V Q.< �. =i- Aloha a Councilmembers, o _ I write in strong support of Bill 51, which seeks to prohibit the feeding of feral animals on County of Hawaii property. This amendment is urgently needed to protect our endangered native species, safeguard public health, and uphold our shared kuleana to steward Hawai`i's lands and ecosystems responsibly. Feeding feral animals, especially cats, on public lands has already contributed to the deaths of multiple endangered and protected species. In April 2024, a one -month -old nene gosling died from toxoplasmosis, a parasite spread only through cat feces. This gosling had never left the boundaries of Lili`uokalani Gardens and was documented eating cat food alongside feral cats fed daily in the park. These feeding sites are rarely cleaned. Feces accumulate, contaminating the soil, washing into ponds where families fish, and creating an unsanitary environment that threatens both human and wildlife health. Feral pigs also pose a serious and well -documented threat to County parks. In 2022, former Parks Director Maurice Messina testified that pigs had torn up public parks so severely it looked like "somebody took a D9 [bulldozer] to this park." These animals have destroyed fields, damaged playgrounds, disrupted cemeteries, and rendered large areas unusable. Messina reported that most of the island's 270 park facilities had been affected. Despite this, people continue to dump food scraps, drawing pigs into community spaces and increasing damage to infrastructure, habitat, and public safety. Feral goats, especially prevalent in West Hawaii, are also sustained by intentional food dumping. Goats are destructive grazers that strip native vegetation, hinder forest regeneration, and accelerate erosion. In parks and open space, they damage landscaping, destabilize trails, and fragment critical habitat used by native birds. Food intentionally left behind at transfer stations, parks, and trailheads encourages unnatural gatherings and increases human - wildlife conflict, undermining restoration efforts by County and State agencies. Feral chickens have become a widespread nuisance across Hawaii. Their constant crowing disrupts neighborhoods and parks, their droppings pose sanitation and health risks, and their foraging damages landscaping and native vegetation. Wne Research and Conservation has documented a concerning rise in eye parasites in protected species like the nene, possibly linked to feral chickens. Senate Bill 2401, signed into law on July 1, 2024, mandates the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to work with counties to control feral chickens, providing $50,000 per county in matching funds. Honolulu has already taken action, posting signs in public parks discouraging feeding. Hawaii County must do the same. Section 15-1 of the Hawaii County Code states that our parks are intended to be "safe, beautiful, and accessible for the enjoyment of all members of the community." This includes children, kupuna, and those who are medically vulnerable. Irresponsible feeding practices make these spaces unsafe. They expose people to zoonotic diseases and attract animals to roadways and paths, increasing the risk of injury. Some members of the cat community have proposed including a provision to allow permitted feeding of feral animals on County property. We strongly oppose this. Permitted feeding sustains feral animal populations, encourages animal abandonment, and directly contradicts the intent of Bill 51. If the County formally sanctions feeding through a permit system, it should also be prepared to assume full legal liability for the foreseeable harm caused by these animals —including the take of protected species, damage to public property, and threats to public health. Hawaii County cannot claim a commitment to conservation while endorsing practices that actively undermine it. Bill 51 also aligns with state conservation goals. The Hawaii Invasive Species WUw"41 11l� mal Council and DLNR have repeatedly emphasized that feeding non-native animals undermines efforts to control invasive populations. It contradicts decades of public investment in native species recovery, habitat protection, and ecological restoration. This bill is not about punishing compassion. It is about ensuring that good intentions do not lead to harmful outcomes. Feeding feral animals on public property has resulted in the preventable deaths of endangered species, degradation of public spaces, and threats to community health. The modest fines included in Bill 51 are essential to allow enforcement and create accountability. Bill 51 is a reasonable and necessary step toward safer, healthier, and more ecologically resilient public spaces in Hawaii County. I respectfully urge you to pass this bill without delay. Mahalo for your leadership and service. Sincerely, Melissa Mishima