HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.308 2024-2026From:
thehaven
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c.)
Sent:
Monday, July 21, 2025 4:13 PM
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To:
Council Testimony; Alameda, Christian (Kimo); Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt
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Subject:
Testimony in Strong Opposition to Bill 51
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Dear Councilmembers,
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am resubmitting my strong opposition to Bill 51.
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This bill does not solve a problem. It creates suffering, undermines proven solutions, and sets the stage for
continued failure. Worse, it sends a disturbing message that the County of Hawaii is more interested in punishing
compassion than addressing the real issues.
Let's be clear: banning feeding does not reduce cat populations. It sabotages Trap -Neuter -Return (TNR), the
only humane and effective method supported by leading animal welfare and wildlife organizations. Without
feeding stations, caregivers can't monitor colonies, trap new arrivals, or track health. The result? More kittens,
more suffering, more chaos.
Community cats exist because of human irresponsibility —abandonment, failure to spay and neuter, and a lack
of public education and accessible services. The overpopulation crisis is a human -made problem. These cats
didn't ask to be dumped. They didn't askto be left unaltered so they could reproduce endlessly —and let's be
honest, it's not like they have a choice. Instinct drives that behavior, not malice.
They are innocent creatures, thrown into a world where survival means scavenging, hiding, and hoping for a scrap
of kindness. Wouldn't you hunt if you were starving?
Feeding bans don't solve the root issue. They don't stop abandonment. They don't prevent the next litter. They
simply target the symptoms, not the cause. Worse, they criminalize the very people trying to fix what others
broke, while doing nothing to prevent the suffering still to come.
And guess what happens when you don't allow feeding? It gets worse. Not better.
At our sanctuary, we see the consequences of that human irresponsibility every day.. We take in the abandoned
cats and kittens that others leave behind —often sick, starving, and in need of urgent care. These animals didn't
choose to be homeless. They were failed by people and forgotten by the system. And yet, it's organizations like
ours —not the County —that carry the burden of cleaning up the aftermath.
It is not a realistic solution to expect shelters or sanctuaries to "take in" every stray or feral cat. Across the country,
animal shelters are overwhelmed and underfunded, often operating at or beyond capacity. Many are already
forced to make heartbreaking decisions due to space and resource limitations. Relying on shelters or
sanctuaries —without supporting programs specifically aimed at managing community cats on the ground —
is a recipe for failure. It creates false hope for the public, and it shifts the burden to those already stretched thin.
Efforts to "remove" cats —whether through starvation, relocation, or euthanasia —do not work long-term. When
cats are removed, new, unsterilized cats quickly move in to take advantage of the available resources. This
vacuum effect guarantees a continued cycle of reproduction and suffering.
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Ref. To: '
Ref. lute JUL 2 3 2025
If this bill is adopted, we will not see fewer cats. We will see more starving animals, more scavenging through
trash, more roadkill, and more frustrated residents. And we'll still be here next year, facing the exact same
issue —because nothing structural has changed.
What we need is:
• County -funded spay/neuter and TNR efforts
• Public education on responsible pet ownership
• Enforceable laws to stop abandonment
• Registered caregiver programs that include accountability and data tracking
Starving cats is not a strategy. It is cruelty.
And it raises a serious question:
Is Aloha only for people?
Does life matter, or only human life?
A policy that allows animals to suffer and die for simply existing is not rooted in Aloha. It's rooted in convenience,
fear, and avoidance. This island deserves better. Our animals deserve better.
You still have the opportunity to do the right thing —vote NO on this dangerous, shortsighted, and ineffective bill —
and instead invest in real, sustainable solutions that protect both our animals and our environment.
Sincerely,
Deborah Buck
The Haven Cat Sanctuary
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