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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarks, Mitchell TESTIMONY FOR RES 649 Draft 01 2024-2026 Mitchell Lee Marks Executive Director Kona Cat Commons Mitchmarks00@gmail.com Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony. Hawaii County is experiencing a substantial problem with community cats (i.e., feral and stray cats). Community cats are a major predator of native birds, insects, and baby sea turtles. They can carry diseases that can sicken humans and other animals. Hawaii County’s community cat situation has resulted in strongly emotional confrontations between community members who regard feral and stray cats as a threat to native species and those who wish to see feral and stray cats treated in a humane manner. While not on our island, two kupuna were murdered in an unprovoked attack while feeding community cats on Maui Island on August 6 of this year. Clearly this is a big problem with big emotions. I am Executive Director of the Kona Cat Commons, an IRS approved 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization. Our organization addresses two critical needs on the Big Island: (1) enhancing animal welfare while (2) providing educational opportunities for high school and college students. Our current focus is to launch the Kona Cat Commons; a six-acre cat sanctuary located in Captain Cook on the west side of Hawaii Island. However, the requested funds will benefit the entire Hawaii Island. The requested funds will be used to develop a template which can be used at multiple locations throughout Hawaii Island. This project will result in the creation of a Start-Up and First Year Operational Plan for the Kona Cat Commons. However, the community cat situation in Hawaii County is so severe that no one intervention by itself will contain the problem. Thus, the development and operation of the Kona Cat Commons will serve a pilot project for the County’s broader e?ort to address the community cat situation. The Plan will be the property of Hawaii Count. As the owner of the Plan, the County will be able to use or modify it at its discretion. Currently, several initiatives are underway to address the community cat issue in Hawaii County. However, these e?orts are uncoordinated and often work in a counter-productive manner. Thus, one outcome of this project will be a major step forward in strengthening and coordinating the County’s Island-wide e?orts to control the community cat population in a humane manner. The project will provide a public benefit by establishing a model and standards for animal welfare throughout the County. In addition, it will serve as a basis for more e?ectively addressing public health issues created by the large current community cat population. This project will benefit several constituencies throughout Hawaii Island. Most prominently, it will benefit the overall Island population by contributing to containing the environmental and toxic consequences of an under-managed community cat population. The project will benefit the “pro-bird” members of the Hawaii Island community who regard community cats as a threat to native species on the Island. It will benefit the “pro-cat” members of the community who seek a humane way to deal with community cats. And, once the Kona Cat Commons becomes operational, it will benefit college and high school students from Hawaii Island through the creation of internships and research opportunities.