HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0054.005 2000-2002 Page 1 of 2
1/18/01 ~ "
To Aaron Chung and all Council Members ,
Fax 961-8673
From Madelyn Barrea
Execut+ve D+rector
West Hawa++ Humane Society
P O Box 2695
Kailua-Kona, H+ 96745
323-2290
Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the council meeting on 1123/01, however, I
would like to go on record as being in favor of splitting the island as far as the
Animal Control Contract is concerned
At present, and for quite some time, there has been a lack of proper animal control
+n West Hawau There have been numerous complaints and it is quite unacceptable
that the county go on giv+ng the contract to an agency who is not performing the
dut+es of proper animal control
I believe +t would be a waste of taxpayers' money to spend $12,000 for an outside
agency to do an evaluat+on on Hawau Island Humane Society, as it has already been
proven that they are not doing the fob and that they continue to hire unqualified
people, with no expenence in "animal control" or "law enforcement"
If the county would read the exist+ng contract, I believe it states that all persons hired
should be qualified in such a capacity
The animal control problem would not be +n such a state, +f the agency that +s
receiving the contract is watched over and made to comply with the contract
Anyone can send in pretty looking reports and pat themselves on the back
I would also I+ke to comment on the statement made in the special study on Hawau
Island Humane Society, where it states that one of the difficulties with the animal
control program is that they must play two roles --providing shelter services and
enforcing animal control laws Yes it is a very hard and sad fob, but it is better to have
a Humane Society handle the animal control laws, than to have inhumane so called "city
pounds"
Comm. Na ~ •
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Page 2 of 2
Unfortunately as long as we have irresponsible people in this world and people who
disregard the law, there wdl always be a need for animal control and the police force
If they can not enforce the animal control laws, then they should not be awarded the
Animal Control contract I might also point out, that there are numerous states where
the arnmal control contract is performed by Humane Soaeties
It would also be to the county's advantage to have two agencies, one on the Hdo side
and another for the Kona side, as a means of checks and balances If the county
keeps awarding the animal control contract to Hawau Island Humane Sotaety, and they
are not doing the proper fob of enforcing the animal control laws, then I believe it is the
county's responsibility to provide the funding to build a county owned animal shelter on
the Hdo side, seeing that the Hawau Island Humane Sotaety owns the existing shelter
there If this were done, the county would not feel pressured into giving the contract to
an agency dust because they have a fatality, they must also be providing the proper
service for which over $600,000 00 of our tax money is being spent
Let's do it nght this time and stop wasting the taxpayers' money
If any of the countal people would like to question me on this subject, please feel free
to call me at the above number
Thank you for your time
Sin'c'e/rely,
`~~..~~r~ll ~srcces.-