HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0283.348 2024-2026From: advocate@mail.actionbutton.org on behalf of Lois Johnson
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Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2025 6:10 PM
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To: Council Testimony
Subject: Bill 51 - STRONGLY OPPOSED
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To Mayor Kimo Alameda and the Hawaii County Council: s
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I call on you to REJECT BILL 51 in its current form and instead take action that reflects our island's
values
of compassion, community, and kuleana.
BILL 51 GETS IT WRONG!!
Criminalizing cat feeding won't solve the problem —it amplifies it:
Starving cats doesn't make them vanish; it drives them into sensitive ecosystems, increases disease,
leads to more kittens, and intensifies community conflict.
This approach punishes caregivers instead of addressing underlying causes — and it makes our island
Less humane.
We understand the goal.is to protect native wildlife. But Bill 51 ignores both the root causes and the real
solutions. We urge you, Mayor Alameda, to course -correct —and join us in supporting humane,
effective, and proven strategies.
THE REALITY ON THE GROUND
Families across our island face:
Spay/neuter costs theycan't afford
Veterinary care that's out of reach
Pet -averse rentals, forcing people to give up animals
Trying To Feed their pets despite rising living costs
When families surrender pets — often dumped at transfer stations, parks, or shopping centers —what
emerges is labeled "community cats." These cats aren't feral monsters —they're lost, dumped, or
abandoned — and we need to fix the broken system behind it.
OUR SOLUTION: TWO -PRONGED ACTION
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We invite you, Mayor Alameda, to support a real plan — one led by local organizations, volunteers, and
residents already making progress:
PRONG ONE: Keep Cats with Their Families
Support our `ohana BEFORE pets are surrendered:
Free or low-cost spay/neuter services
Affordable veterinary and wellness clinics
Protections for renters with pets
Emergency pet food assistance
PRONG TWO: Effectively Manage Community Cat Populations
Deploy proven, humane methods to stabilize and reduce colonies:
TNVR (Trap -Neuter -Vaccinate -Return -Manage) programs —the only population -control approach that
works.
Adoption programs for sociable or friendly cats
Certified colony caretakers, with:
Monitoring and identification tools
Wildlife -safe, posted feeding stations
Management and conservation training
Strategic relocation from sensitive environments
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Networks of fosters and sanctuaries to rehome cats
These approaches tackle the cause— not just symptoms. They're backed by data, used nationwide,
and already yielding results here on our island.
WHY BILL 51 WILL BACKFIRE
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If enacted, 811.1.51 will:
Drive compassionate caretakers underground
Increase dumping of unwanted pets
Undermine trust and momentum gained by years of volunteer efforts
Waste County resources enforcing an unenforceable law
Ultimately produce more suffering —for cats, wildlife, and our community
WE STAND FOR ALOHA -BASED SOLUTIONS
Rather than criminalize care, let's uplift the work already underway by the following organizations:
AdvoCATS, Aloha Animal Alliance, Advocats Hawaii, Action 4 Animals Hawaii, CatSnip, Feed the Kitty,
Good Karma Spay & Neuter, Jungle Cat Ladies Sanctuary, Kahu Popoki - Care For Our Cat Ohana, KARES
Hawai'i, Rainbow Friends, Volcano Cat Sanctuary, and others —
ALL working together to roll out these humane solutions across the island.
SIGN THE PETITION —AND JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Together we can:
Stop the cycle of abandonment
Keep families and pets united
Reduce cat colony size over time — while protecting wildlife
We can solve this — but not with Bill 51.
Mayor Alameda, we urge you: reject this bill and stand with us— our `ohana, our cats, and our island
values.
With aloha,
Your fellow resident of Hawaii Island.
This message was sent by Lois Johnson via ActionButton, on behalf of Kahu Popoki - Care For Our Cat
Ohana. Please reply to Lois Johnson