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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0561.016 2014-2016Pamela S. Small PO Box 44413 Kamuela, HI 96743 November 16, 2015 County of Hawaii — Council 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway Kailua Kona, HI 96740 Dear Sir or Madam: PI eswc COUNTY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAI I RECEIVED Time 1.30p'W By �Gt►`J Date I am writing today to show my immense dissatisfaction with the Hawaii Island Humane Society. Their 70% euthanasia rate shows that there is nothing humane in what they have been doing within their facilities. They have been running an organization that receives 2.1 million dollars annually in public funds with no public oversight for long enough. The HIHS has manipulated its statistics to make it appear that they are not killing as many adoptable animals.as they do. The reality is that HIHS takes in around 14,000 animals a year and kills approximately 10,000 of them. That comes to a whopping 71% kill rate. They claim that the majority were mongoose, chickens and UN - adoptable animals. The county awards the HIHS $2.1 million of our tax dollars every year to continue this heinous practice: There is no oversight from the county of the 2.1 million dollars that is awarded to the HIHS to act as the animal control contractor for the island. The HIHS will tell you that euthanasia is necessary to help . control the pet population on the Big Island, but they are not willing to work with all of the other animal welfare groups on the island to lower that rate. Donna Whitaker refuses to work with KARES or BIDR. The council needs to know that Dr. Elizabeth Jose, the vet on the board of the HIHS does NOT ACCEPT the low cost spay/neuter vouchers sold by the HIHS. This is important because Dr. Jose stated on the Island Issues radio program that Spay/Neuter is the single most important issue on the island for animal population control and that nearly every vet on the island accepts the vouchers. She DOES NOT. She is not following the mission statement of the HIHS. The county council needs to immediately appoint an oversight committee whose members are drawn from the rescue community (including KARES and BIDR) working in a non -adversarial partnership to oversee the workings of the HIHS. The euthanasia rate needs to be reduced down to 10-15% with a goal of no -kill. As a 100% intake shelter, no -kill is not truly feasible, but it is an admirable goal that should be strived for. The county council must demand an honest reporting of statistics, conduct in depth quality control and performance reviews of HIHS annually. The county council must require the immediate resignation of the director or any board member who refuses to meet the community's demand for low/no kill and work diligently to make that vision a reality. The board and the shelter director have stone walled long enough. They have killed thousands of animals with no repercussions. It is time for the council to make it clear that enough is enough. As a tax payer, I am appalled that my tax dollars are being used to fund the wholesale slaughter of healthy animals that could be shipped to Mainland shelters where they could find loving homes. Shame on the HIHS. Shame on the county council. It's time for the slaughter of our island animals to stop. It is time for the HIHS to change. Sincerely, Pamela Small ,Gomm* Na Ref. To- 51A lief. Date V 12015"