HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0022.090 2004-2006Page 1 of
Murashige, Laura
From: Ferol Kolons [ferolkat@yahoo com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 12:58 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Animal Issues
Please consider these suggestions regarding upcoming animal legislation on January 23rd, 2006.
Thank you very much,
Name: Ferol Kolons
Address : POBox 383334, Waikoloa, I It
-Section 4-22, article 4 mandates a 48 hour holding period fbr impounded stray dogs, but
mentions nothing about cats Currently the holding period for cats is 24 hours. It usually takes at
least 24 hours for an owner/Ieeder to notice if a cat is missing. Please request that this 48 hour
holding period be mandated for cats as well
-The animal redemption fee is proposed to be raised from $10 to $25. You may or may not
know that when notified by the HIHS of the holding of an ear tipped (i.e.nuetered cat), this
redemption fee that we must pay is hardship enough after the $65./$50. invested in neutering the
animal. Please request that this fee should be waived for AdvoCats because they have
voluntarily and with private (not county) funds and volunteer labor, undertaken a job which
should be under the domain of the HIHS, but due to a lack of resources, these animals are
cuthanized unnecessarily because it is the "cheapest" option. (This is a 150% increase in the
redemption fee, which comes out of pocket from the person who redeems the cat and tries to
find its rightful owner.)
-Penalties liar cruelty to animals which mentions dogs and cats have been raised, which is a good
thing, however, Section 4-21t, regarding "Injury or poisoning of dogs", should be reworded to
include cats as well. We are well aware of the rash of cat poisonings and the hangings of'
poisoned feral cats at Honokohau Harbor last year. Cats should be included along with dogs in
BOTi I measures A and B.
-most of the ordinance and fee changes award the lowest tier of fees to animals with microchips.
There are problems with microchipping that council members may be unaware of in that the
chips can move internally and are not foolproof Cor identification. Also, it is difficult ,and
sometimes impossible to scan a terrified, aggressive animal (which may be that way only
because it has been traumatized). I believe this "fee bias" to encourage microchipping is
inappropriate.
- certain factions of dog owners have raised the issue at hearing about licenses for cats. Nuisance
dogs can be specifically tied to their behaviour , iV continuous barking, aggression, attack, and
in this category, licenses help trace owners. This is totally impractical, and unreliable to require
licenses for cats. Wearing a collar and tag presents a choking danger for outdoor cats, so this is
not an "equality of the species" kind of issue. Thereby I strongly urge you NOT to consider
Comm. No. 2 z.n^
Ref. To:
1/25/2006 k -f. `�°'^
Page 2 of")
licenses for cats. 'Phis will be impossible to enforce. The best identification for a cat is a
microchip, but that should be voluntary with the pet owner, not a coerced decision with financial
penalties for choosing not to microchip.Fvcn though microchipping is the best identification for
a cat it is not fail proof. Michrochips move throughout an animals body and will not always
show, up on a scan.
Thank you for you attention to this matter.
Pero[ Kolons
Waikoloa, III
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Please consider these suggestions regarding upcoming animal legislation on
January 23rd, 2006.
Thank you very much,
Name: Ferol Kolons
Address : POBox 383334, Waikoloa, HI
-Section 4-22, article 4 mandates a 48 hour holding period for impounded stray
dogs, but mentions nothing about cats. Currently the holding period for cats is
24 hours. It usually takes at least 24 hours for an owner/feeder to notice if a cat
is missing. Please request that this 48 hour holding period be mandated for cats
as well
face=Arial>-Thc animal redemption fee is proposed to be raised from $10 to $25. You
may or may not know that when notified by the fill IS of the holding of an ear tipped
(i.e.nuetered cat), this redemption fee that we must pay is hardship enough after the
$65./$50. invested in neutering the animal. Please request that this fee should be waived
for AdvoCats because they have voluntarily and with private (not county) funds and
volunteer labor, undertaken a job which should be under the domain of the HIHS, but
duc to a lack of resources, these animals are euthanized unnecessarily because it is the
"cheapest" option. (This is a 150% increase in the redemption fee, which comes out of
pocket from the person who redeems the cat and tries to find its rightful owner.)
-Penalties for cruelty to animals which mentions dogs and cats have been
raised, which is a good thing, however, Section 4-29, regarding
"Injury or poisoning of dogs", should be reworded to include cats as well. We are
1/25/2006
Page 3 of 3
well aware of the rash of cat poisonings and the hangings of poisoned feral cats
at Honokohau Harbor last year. Cats should be included along with dogs in
BOTH measures A and B.
-most of the ordinance and fee changes award the lowest tier of fees to animals
with microchips. There are problems with microchipping that council members
may be unaware of in that the chips can move internally and are not foolproof for
identification. Also, it is difficult ,and sometimes impossible to scan a terrified,
aggressive animal (which may be that way only because it has been
traumatized). I believe this "fee bias" to encourage microchipping is
inappropriate.
- certain factions of dog owners have raised the issue at hearing about licenses
for cats. Nuisance dogs can be specifically
tied to their behaviour , i'e' continuous barking, aggression, attack, and in this
category, licenses help trace owners. This is totally impractical, and unreliable to
require licenses for cats. Wearing a collar and tag presents a choking danger for
outdoor cats, so this is not an "equality of the species" kind of issue. Thereby I
strongly urge you NOT to consider licenses for cats. This will be impossible to
enforce. The best identification for a cat is a microchip, but that should be
voluntary with the pet owner, not a coerced decision with financial penalties for
choosing not to microchip.Even though microchipping is the best identification
for a cat it is not fail proof. Michrochips move throughout an animals body and
will not always show up on a scan.
I hank you for you attention to this matter.
Ferol Kolous
Waikoloa, III
color�t007700 size= -I>
you Yahoo!"
a Iree I GB, there's more in store with Yahoo! Mail.
;9429523-1139229519 :30019 --
)o
9429523 -1138229518'=:30019--
)o you Yahoo!'?
Xith a free 1 GB, there's more in store with Yahoo! Mail.
1/25/2006