HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.278 2024-2026Sent: Monday, July 7, 2025 11:35 AM
To: elizabeth@alohaanimals.org
Cc: Council Testimony
Subject: RE: Opposition to Bill 51 - A Threat to Environmental Stewardship and Public Health
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From: elizabeth@alohaanimals.org
Sent: Monday, July 7, 2025 11:27 AM
Subject: Opposition to Bill 51-A Threat to Environmental Stewardship and Public Health
To:, Council Member Inaba
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Re: Opposition to Bill 51 - A Threat to Environmental Stewardship and Public Health
Dear Aloha Chair Inaba, Vice Chair Onishi, and Members of the Council,
As a board member of Aloha Animal Alliance and an educator with over four decades of experience in
conservation and place -based learning, I am writing to express strong opposition to Bill 51, which would
criminalize the public feeding of animals, including free -roaming cats. This bill contradicts both science -
based environmental stewardship and the integrated human -animal -environment health model embraced
globally by the World Health Organization's One Health initiative.
Hawaii Island is home to some of the most unique and endangered species on Earth. At the same time, it
faces complex ecological challenges caused by the illegal abandonment of cats and dogs, habitat
destruction, and unregulated human development. Our certified Colony Caretakers are trained stewards,
citizen scientists, and community liaisons who follow a structured and science -informed Best Practices
model designed to reduce ecological harm, protect native species, and uphold public health
standards.
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Bill 51 threatens to dismantle this essential work. By banning feeding practices in public spaces, the bill
would scatter colonies, increase conflict, and undermine humane, environmentally responsible care. Left
without a stable food source or oversight, free -roaming animals will disperse into vulnerable ecosystems,
heightening the very risks this bill claims to address —namely predation on native wildlife, toxoplasmosis
exposure, and public nuisance complaints.
We must instead align with the One Health model, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of the
health of people, animals, and the environment. The World Health Organization, along with the Food
and Agriculture Organization, the UN Environment Program, and the World Organization for Animal Health,
supports One Health as a comprehensive platform for addressing shared health threats. Responsible
colony car, conducted under the Best Practices model, is One Health in action. It supports cleaner
environments, safer communities, and healthier ecosystems.
From sandboxes that contain waste to feeding stations that reduce roaming and interaction with
endangered species, our practices are collaborative, preventative, and education -centered. We want to
work hand -in -hand with DLNR, NOAA, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to protect species such as the
Nene and Hawaiian Monk Seal while advancing community well-being.
Rather than punishing those engaged in effective, science -backed environmental stewardship, the County
should build upon our collective progress. I urge you to reject Bill 51 and instead support evidence -based
solutions that integrate conservation, compassion, and community responsibility.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss
how Hawaii can lead with integrity, sustainability, and a true One Health approach. Aloha Animal Alliance
has a sustainable, science based platform to educate the public, colony caretakers and protect vulnerable
species and ecosystems.
With deep respect,
Elizabeth Wing, Ed.D., M.A. Zoology
Board Member, Aloha Animal Alliance
Former Conservation Educator, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA
Place -Based Educator, Riverview School District, Carnation ,WA
elizabeth@alohaanimals.orq 425.736.4252
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