Hawaiʻi is considering adding protections for endangered, threatened and indigenous wildlife across the state, but the draft revisions are gaining some pushback from animal advocates.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife submitted the proposal, the changes being the underlined portions of text, which included a complete ban on feeding and releasing wildlife on state lands and stricter penalties for those who do.
DOFAW officials said the purpose is to decrease the presence of feral cats and the danger they pose to endangered species, while also eliminating the threat of irresponsible human interference with wildlife.
But several testifiers, including Stephanie Kendrick with the Hawaiian Humane Society, said they support the intent of the new rules, but that many of them are written loosely or with conflicting language, which could allow for misinterpretation.
“Feeding bans have never been proven to be effective. You're going to wind up with more cats on DLNR property because they'll be unmanaged, diseased cats because they won't have a human food source, and breeding cats because they won't be trapped for spay/neuter,” Kendrick said. “I would implore the department to not keep taking the same approach, which has failed time and time again, and instead work with the community that stands ready to help reduce this population because we all want fewer cats on the landscape.”
At a DLNR hearing Thursday, several other concerned community members and advocates questioned a specific section that states, “domestic animals are not permitted on department lands, unless crated, caged, contained, or leashed. Any domestic animal or wildlife found running at large on department lands may be impounded or destroyed.”
DLNR and DOFAW said the hearing was meant for public input and testimony, and that they were not going to take or answer questions at that time.
The public has until Aug. 26 to submit their thoughts on the proposed changes.
