You Helped the Ferals of Hawaii!

January 21, 2008 : 1:09 PM

SB 2017 dies before hearing, thanks to you!

In an update from Pamela Davis of Animal Advocates in Honolulu to Diane Young an Animal Help Specialist from Best Friends, here is the wonderful news:

"Thanks to you and Best Friends for helping us to defeat this bill,
essentially before it even got off the ground!

Yesterday, Senator Nishihara indicated he will ask the Chairwoman of the Committee to which the bill was referred NOT to schedule it for a hearing. And, he indicated he had received lots of e-mails, and upon further consideration, agrees that the government should help the many volunteers who do TNR every day of their lives. He will be introducing a Resolution in the near future.

Again, thanks to you and Best Friends for your quick response to our request for help."

In conclusion, a Senate Bill, or SB 2017, had been introduced which would have made it a crime to feed the feral cats, imposing a fine of up to $1,000 per incident, has died. Not only will the bill not go forward, this has also been a very enlightening endeavor for the officials of Hawaii!

Click here to read full document of what had been proposed.

You can Thank Senator Nishihara for chosing compassion over mislead cruelty by clicking here.

Feral Cat Organizations in Hawaii:
Animal Advocate Inc.
CatFriends Organization
Hawaiian Humane Society
9th Life Hawaii

posted by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends Animal Society
image by Molly Wald, Best Friends photographer

Comments

February 3, 2008 at 11:59 AM
posted by: marys

Horray!! Great teamwork!

January 28, 2008 at 10:28 AM
posted by: Noraandkids

I'm thrilled with this news. I think the cat tells it all. It looks like the same cat in both pictures. In the first one, she looks scared, like she's begging for help. In the second one, she has a hudge smile on her sweet face.

Nora

January 27, 2008 at 8:16 PM
posted by: jenjus1

That is awesome to hear!!!!

January 25, 2008 at 4:23 PM
posted by: SanDiego

I read in Cat Fancy magazine that Linda Lingle, the governor of Hawaii, is a devoted cat lover. She has 2 who live in the Governor's Mansion. Hopefully she would vetoed this bill.

January 25, 2008 at 12:35 PM
posted by: cattees

Whee!

January 25, 2008 at 12:21 PM
posted by: Dawgmom

Terrific news!

January 25, 2008 at 12:02 PM
posted by: shellyk

Great job network. you have showed the power that numbers have....

January 24, 2008 at 6:20 PM
posted by: QMD333

I signed the petition and also wrote to the Senators in Hawaii.

Let's speak on behalf of the feral cats. Together, we can get this heartless, irresponsible idea of starving innocent souls, and put the idea where it belongs:
In the garbage.

January 24, 2008 at 12:50 PM
posted by: scratchtopaz

Hi Dawgmom - i just added some links to the feral cat groups in HI...there are some very dedicated folks there. This submission to oppose SB 2017 was submitted by Animal Advocates Inc, please accept my apologies for not including these sooner!

January 23, 2008 at 1:34 AM
posted by: Spax

Please sign the petition, it has only 218 signatures so far. We can do better!

January 22, 2008 at 5:46 PM
posted by: shunwagn

Don't be cruel , it could be one of yours someday!

January 22, 2008 at 5:13 PM
posted by: Dawgmom

I just returned from the Big Island this weekend, having stayed in the Waikaloa resort area for a week. There were about 10 cats living in the parking lot. and a few others around the resort buildings They seemed healthy and content... even lounging amongst the birds. I noticed one morning that someone put out kibble for them, which explains why they are not chasing the birds for lunch. But I also noticed that none of the cats had a "tipped" ear, which I think is the sign of an active TNR program. Is anyone trying to neuter or spay these cats? Seems like the state's efforts would be much better spent supporting TNR than criminalizing those who feed these cats. If not fed, what do they think will happen? The cats will not simply disappear. They will starve, fight, and resort to hunting for their food... and probably become more of a "nuisance" than they are now, as they resort to begging. Is that the legislator's preferred alternative?

January 22, 2008 at 4:40 PM
posted by: edward

Thank you for this. It is so helpful to hear about information like this, especially when there is information on how we can participate, who to contact and the actual Bill!

It can be so frustrating to read about a proposed legislative bill that will have an impact on animals, yet no specific information to act on.

Denise, maybe you and I should get over there!

January 22, 2008 at 12:35 PM
posted by: cattees

I think Hawaii has bigger problems than people who feed ferals.

January 22, 2008 at 7:02 AM
posted by: cookks

"There is more real religion in the man or woman who feeds a hungry animal than in the miser who builds a church and prays in it." ~Lewis Abbott