HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0054.010 2000-2002 Irene Soloway
P.O. Box 383580
Waikoloa, HI 96738
' i , ~ ; Phone (808) 883-2892
February 10, 2001
Mayor Hany IGm
25 Aupuni Street
Hdo, HI 96720
Honorable Mayor Hany Kim,
Congratulations, I am so happy you are mayor. I'm feel strongly hopeful that you will make
things happen for the better on our beautiful island.
1 am venting to tell you my nightmare in dealing with the Hawau Island Humane SoGety,
Kamuela While m church on February 7, a visitor from the mainland, Pam Weiner, joined us
in our prayer group She was crying and praying for the animals at the animal shelter in
Kamuela, which she had visited. She told a horror story of the inhumane conditions that she
observed, and in disbelief that arnmals could be treated so badly, I went to the shelter myself
the folloHnng day What 1 saw was disgusting
The shelter was closed, but I was able to see the cats that were m the "holding cages",
apparently dropped off sometime earlier The cats were m exposed areas without adequate
ventilation, and had old rusty coffee cans for containers for drinking water, and the cans were
empty The offensive and hon-ible smell was so disgustingly strong that I literally almost
fainted. I could not believe I was m the Urnted States I want you to know that as a result of
this expenence 1 was not able to sleep at night I wanted to open all the cages and release
the animals The dogs were equally uncared for, they had no water at all. I am ready to cry
now, lust thinking about the sad conditions the poor animals are unnecessarily experiencing
In the morning, prior to my wsit to the shelter, I left a message for the shelter director in Kona,
telling of what I had heard about the terrible conditions at the Kamuela site I arrive at the
shelter at noon, and found the conditions as deplorable as Pam had described I was
surprised when 1 returned home, and I had a message on my machine from the Kona shelter
that "everything was under control" at the Kamuela shelter Am I to believe that the inhumane
conditions are acceptable to the management of the shelter
There are absolutely no excuse, none, for the substandard conditions to be tolerated at the
Kamuela shelter 1 would like someone from your ofFce to call me regarding this matter, which
needs immediate remedial attention
Sincerely,
x0. . U
Irene Solowa%G`r?~ Flle No.
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