HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.255 2024-2026From: Vivian Toellner
Sent: Friday, July 4, 2025 3:45 PM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Hustace for Council District 9;
Council Testimony, Kimball,, Heather, Kagiwada, Jennifer, Onishi, Dennis; Kierkiewicz,
Ashley, Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt, Galimba, Michelle M.; Villegas, Rebecca; Inaba,
Holeka; Hustace, James
Subject: Bill 51 Testimony for Tuesday meeting 7.8.25 Committee on Health Safety and Well
Being
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Dear County Council Members,
Every few years another attempt is made to stop the humane treatment of alma s
here on'the Big Island of Hawai'i. When will some learn that this is not Aloha:and
effort to stop it just cannot be enforced.
If only efforts were made with our tax money to be proactive to reduce the number of
dumped unwanted cats and dogs!!
Volunteers run the cat Trap/Neuter/Return/Manage programs, a method tested and
proven worldwide to effectively and humanely manage cat colonies. Most of the Big
Island cats are abandoned pets, so they don't even know how to forage and survive on
their own.
The caregivers purchase the cat food and spend from two to four hours on their
feeding days making sure even the shyest kitty gets enough food, and the friendly
ones get the attention they crave. Free and low cost spay, and neuter programs are
used by the feeders. New homes have been found for hundreds of these young
kitties. This is all done FOR FREE!
It is impossible to remove all the cats from public areas, and new ones will always
arrive, because of people! If not allowed to continue with TNRM programs, many
animals will starve. Heartless people will continue to abandon pets as have been for
decades, but they will no longer be spayed, neutered, fed, or re -homed.
They will be starving, invading areas nearby areas trying to survive. They will be
having kittens, getting run over --or causing accidents --and spreading disease. Is this
what you want to see?
FREE AND LOW COST SPAY NEUTER PROGRAMS NEEDS TO BE FUNDED BY
OUR TAX DOLLAR!!! The hundreds of people supporting these clinics are a
testament to the community's support for this HUMANE METHOD !!
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Comm Ala 10 A i
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Ref. to:
Ref. Date
Most Sincerely,
Vivian S. Toellner, District 5 resident