HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0798.022 2004-2006
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Murashige, Laura
From: Torun Almer[starfire-sanctuary@hawaii.rccom] ZOOS NOU 9 PIS 3 l.6
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 5:14 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
GUNP r [M
Subject: Bill 258 Draft 3
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Bill 258, Draft 3.
Comments are as follows:
Work needs to be done on Article 6. Cat Identification Program. "Section 4-35
definitions: (1) A collar or tag worn by a cat which includes the current name, address,
and telephone number of the owner,' (2) An ear tag issued by the animal control
contractor- or (3) A microchip registering the owner with the National Computer
Recovery Network or the animal control contractor. "
#1- a collar or tog isn't the same as licensing the cat, which you may have read about in
the newspaper, this needs clarification
#2 - to the best of my knowledge this county does not use ear tags on cats (or dogs),-
colony cats (herein incorrectly referred to as "feral" cats) are ear tipped, not tagged
#3 - To the best of my knowledge there is no "National Computer Recovery Network. "
There is the Avid Microchip, the HomeAgainlD microchip and the AKC Companion Animal
Recovery (which uses the HomeAgainlD microchips). That needs to be clarified.
"Section 4-36, Identification required. It shall be unlawful for any person to be an owner
of a cat over six months of age unless the person maintains an identification worn by the
cat. This section shall not apply to cats in quarantine and cats brought into the County
exclusively for the purpose of entering them in a cat show or cat exhibition and not
allowed to be at large. "
I would like to think this section means that the cat has to have one of the 3
identifications listed in 4-35. Obviously a collar or tag is worn but I think other words
needs to be used to describe cats that are microchipped or have their ears tipped. It
would be clearer if the first sentence read "It shall be unlawful for any person to
be...unless the person has the cat identified as described in section 4-35 (collarllD tag,'
ear tipped,' microchipped) It should also be noted that ALL cats in quarantine are
microchipped as part of the quarantine process, although the owners usually do not
understand that they need to register the cat with one of the national registries or _ Z
Comm. No.
Ref. To%
11/9/2006 Ref. Date _ 1 20
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county animal control
Section 4-39 (d) discusses "notched ear. " This should read "tipped ear. " It identifies
colony cats, which may or may not be wild born (feral) but usually includes strays,
abandoned and homeless cats as well, many of whom are quite tame and friendly. This
distinction needs to be included
Section 4-40 Sterilization of cats mandates that cats at large be sterilized. It should
follow that dogs of large should also be sterilized and part of redeeming a dog from
animal control should include sterilizing the animal as well as microchipping him/her,
Sincerely,
Torun Almer
84-5142 keola O Keawe Road
Captain Cook, HI 96704
328-2061
11/9/2006