HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0731.019 2010-2012 Page 1 of 1
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From: Donna Whitaker[exec.dir @hihs.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2012 1:10 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: HCC Testimony 6-6-12 Aerial Animal Eradication
Attachments: Aerial Hunting Testimony.docx
Aloha,
Attached please find testimony regarding the proposed ordinance to prohibit aerial animal
eradication for consideration by the Council tomorrow, 6-6-12.
Please contact me with any questions. ' -,
Mahalo,
Donna Whitaker
Executive Director u�
Hawaii Island Humane Society
808-329-8002
808-329-7375 Fax
.mm. Not, f 3I• Iq
Ref. Dote
6/5/2012
To: Honorable Chair Yagong and Council Members
Hawaii County Council
June 6th, 2012
From: Donna Whitaker, Hawaii Island Humane Society - 808-329-8002
RE: Prohibition on Aerial Animal Eradication;Support with Suggested Amendments
We thank Chair Yagong for introducing this important measure and for the Council's consideration
of our supportive testimony with the below suggested amendments.
The Hawaii Island Humane Society, along with the Humane Society of the United States, has long
opposed aerial hunting. HIHS believes that in the vast majority of situations aerial hunting is
inefficient, ineffective and inhumane. Animals, especially herd animals exhibiting collective flight
response behaviors, which are shot from aircraft are often non-mortally wounded and thus subjected
to unnecessary and prolonged suffering. Furthermore, if death is not verified(most often performed
during carcass retrieval) it is impossible to know how many animals may have simply been injured or
wounded, only to ultimately die of infection, starvation, shock, blood loss or dehydration, days or
even weeks after being initially shot.
We acknowledge that there are limited occasions when aerial hunting, performed only by trained
professionals for demonstrated public health or safety reasons, or for limited conservation purposes
to protect threatened and endangered species in imminent harm, is arguable as a condition of last
resort. There are many places throughout the islands where the terrain is inaccessible, the impacts to
threatened and endangered plants and animals too severe, and the resources too limited for our
conservation agencies to be able to use any other strategy to help conserve our treasured natural
resources. Most importantly, we realize that in some circumstances other control methods employed,
such as unattended snares or poisoning, would result in a far less humane death for the targeted
animals.
We also know that hunting alone does not solve the larger feral animal over-population problem.
Accordingly,we urge the Council, rather than prohibiting all aerial control actions performed by
trained professionals under current state and federal law,to require that the below protocols be
adopted and implemented instead, to include written documentation available for public inspection,
that demonstrates the following:
❑ Where tolerance for an animal population exists, all non-lethal options must have been
documented and exhausted prior to implementing lethal methods;
❑ Any benefits sought must be realistic (achievability, e.g. method must achieve long-term desired
results and not require similar, repeated actions); The methods to be employed must be able to
achieve benefits (effectiveness, e.g. outcome of control must be quantifiable);
❑ The approach must be targeted to the problem-causing individuals (specificity, e.g. only those
targeted animals may be removed, measures to prevent non-target animal removal or disruption must
be in place);
❑ The methods used must be the most humane available (welfare priority, e.g. must ensure that
target animals are removed quickly and efficiently to prevent unnecessary or prolonged suffering);
❑ The consequences of actions must be amenable to evaluation (monitoring, e.g. results must be
measureable and required for any future repeated removal actions);
❑ The benefits achieved must be maintained (follow-up, e.g. all steps should be taken to prevent the
need for future removals).
In addition to the above, specifically as it relates to aerial control, require that;
❑ It may only be conducted when the terrain poses a safety threat to humans and precludes more
efficient ground control methods;
❑ Death must be verified and documented;
❑ Aerial control operations should not negatively impact the birthing, nesting and critical habitat of
native wildlife
❑ Stakeholders and the public should be given ample opportunity to comment and share their
concerns, rather than be simply notified, as to proposed aerial control actions. Those agencies
proposing such actions must demonstrate that the above criteria have been met and all protocols have
been followed.
Thank you again for your consideration of our testimony.
Respectfully Submitted,
Donna Whitaker
Executive Director
Hawaii Island Humane Society