Education and advocacy for Oahu's pet animals is a large part of the Hawaiian Humane Society's everyday work. As part of a continued effort to improve animal welfare practices on Oahu, Hawaiian Humane, in partnership with Councilmember Ann Kobayashi, the area representative for the Society's Moiliili campus, has recently introduced Bill 59, overhauling Oahu's pet identification and stray animal ordinances. The changes in this bill are designed to improve animal protection and care, and include the following provisions: -
Replaces the underutilized dog license tag system with mandatory microchipping for cats and dogs -
Decreases the minimum mandatory hold time for stray dogs and cats to five days to reduce the amount of time (and stress) animals have to undergo in a shelter environment -
Increases the hold fee for stray dogs and cats to $10 per day, which is closer to the true cost of care -
Mandates spay/neuter for any dog brought in as a stray three times within a 12-month period to protect animals and the public -
Impose a $30 fine on owners of sterilized dogs brought in as stray three times or more within a 12-month period to encourage dog owners to keep their pets safe This comprehensive bill will allow more animals to be reunited with their families and will mean that animals who are not reclaimed can find new families more quickly. Bill 59 is up for first reading tomorrow, Wednesday, November 6, at 10 am, in front of the full City Council. To show your support, please submit testimony at Honolulu.gov/ccl-testimony-form.html before tomorrow morning. For more information about this effort or other Hawaiian Humane initiatives, email advocacy@hawaiianhumane.org. Mahalo, All of us at the Hawaiian Humane Society |