HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0717.020 2004-2006 To: Representative Chair Stacy K. Higa 31 March 2006
Subject: Budget -Hawaii Island Humane Scelet3t-~equestin~, oµµgqty1Council to increase
monies for the spaylneuter budget for dogs and oats by making ~ailable' tnore discounted
coupons/and or no cost coupons.
We commend the committee to establish a spay 8c neuter fund from proceeds of dog license
fees, all impoundment and kennel fees, including any grants and private contributions.
These generated monies although helpful, fall short on what is needed to make available to
the island people, truly affordable or no cost spay & neuter for dogs and cats. In 2005, the HIHS
total adoption was 1,942, with only 952 redemptions from 12,644 received animals, and over
10,000 mostly healthy animals were euthanized. This shows there are not enough homes for all the
animals bom, these figures does not include the thousands and thousands of abandon animals that
we see too often at schools, recycle stations, dumps, hotels, pazks, shopping malls, subdivisions,
and appearing in residents' backyards. Many of these animals are unable to survive and die from
starvation, disease, abuse, or when struck by cars.
On February 1 S` (2006), at the Keaau Humane Society, 105 discounted coupons were made
available and sold out on the same day. Between Feb 2 & 14, a tally count was kept on how many
people was turned away seeking these coupons, and that total was over 200 people. Thss shows
the willingness of people to be responsible pet owners, and too, to stop unwanted animal births.
Our island people need their animals because we are mostly rural/agriculture/country. Our
animals are our pets/companion and also perform a duo role as utility: dogs for security, and cats
for keeping the rat offspring population down. Rats here-are extremely aggressive and destructive.
Consistent poisoning used to control the rats should be discourage, since they readily build up
immunity and our birds of prey after consuming these rats fall sick or die.
We have been circulating an island wide PETITIOI~3 with the help of animal rescue groups and
others, requesting from County Council to establish an effective and affordable/and or no cost
spay and neuter program for dogs and cats. And the people have responded, with over 5,000
signatures, and we haven't stopped collecting. A co~ry was yresented for the budget hearing and
should be on >lle.
People have shared their stories with us, a frequent comment is, that they want to be
responsible and get their animals sterilized but as they say, "no more money". With property tax
hikes, gas spikes, food, medical, medicine, high cost of living and low paying jobs, there just isn't
much left to go around.
Increasing the spay and neuter budget is necessary, as the previous allotment of $45,000 is not
enough. That number should be at least $100,000, if not more. The answer to control animal
overpopulation is to make available unlimited discounted coupons, and also to offer free animal
sterilization to the low income, particularly those on assistance. Again people need their animals
because of our island terrains, and should not be denied obtaining these Spay/Neuter coupons for
their animal champion/duel utility pets.
Comm No.
page 1 Ref. To:
Raf. t)ata
o0 oaoe ooee o oooao o e
p r o p o m o o p o o m'
p E a P O O O V r m M m O v~ O O m v~ m ~p
e L,' P m m vNi P o m o0 '
^ N N b ~ O ~ ~ m_ N_ f~ O
W b Q
N y m Q m N m m b m O ~n m h m r P m
J .y N^ try .y ~ b r Vl b a0 .r. N~ b~ (mry O m m p O p r O ~ m
O b m q b N O m_ N b O N r r m op m C
S W Q •r t~f O_ N m Q ~ vi Q Q N N
a q v
o
U
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
v
a
s
Cp! Vl O Q f~1 N V1 H M O (Nry
U
m O~ O m r N N 0~ m N b M N m vi m J ry N N N 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ r ~O m O O O O Q
Hf m Q
r
v.
p o p o m o 0 0 r
u
a
s y
Q N m y omp O O p NQ N O
N N ~`NDD N
~ U
Y
T
m m b N p O O t~ m p N m m m N t+l O O O r v~ O O O t+l O m p b W p .-v O O m
m O. Q M N Q r p O t+f t'1 N m r r N p. O
og ~ m
N N g .n v N
m m G]
E J NooN~om-.om
~ c
J i V ~
_ ~ L
s
A N
N ~ m O r m O Q Q O O
h b BOO h
b Q b Vt
~ J ~ U
m ~
S
yo m Q ~oo'n-.m Q wtby -.r ~n Q o ~n v~-r ~ N Q -.o v~ v~-m o0 op
m P m 1~1 Q N n~ C b Q N b v~ M ~ m N O lh
m
a ~ Q m
69
R O p vl b O N N Q N N y m N b Q O r~ N m N p N p^ Q r m O N m C
p `QO m N O O r vl m eT m m h O h N N U N Q N O
F V m t~N.. P P r N O N p b vl Q O N h r m t1 m Q ^
N~ p N m O ? r+ M^ Q y m N N
p m g m b
o q m
F-
cv
O O O O O O h m N O O O Q O O O O O O O O O
O O vi O v~ v~ O h O g ~O N O O ~n r O O O
~p O h r b O p m O O Q N vl N
V N N N ~/1 O ^ V N
V Q
V
O
d
z E E z 'A 'A ~ 'y ~ .1oL E° o o c U _E g E L~ v
N c. N cJ ~ ~ x a s -a c u c
° m ~ dv° 5 OaF E E ~¢9 c>~ 2 EYi
T s V'~ a~ Q w ~ Q O O w~ qq o c l o d
J t E t t ~ 'G c~~~ ~ g V 0. p`
~ u. rn o ¢ c C] o E c E
u o y K rk o P. ~ ti m E ~
v 5 ~ x ~ ~ .5 m a
z ~ m o ~ ° o'S ~ n Q ~ i$
~ C ~ ~ x o z _p ~ C 5' y 0. Q
K i$ .G $V ~ U_q~' ~ O ~ ~.Lv'U m ] C
Z ~ ~ E: L o~ E G y ^^v' ~ tiU _
V 4~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ d ° m ' y ~ ~ y _
c m ~ 4F v c _V qE c y c w qq
o
v d n H a c e u v .a ~ QJ ~U