Hawaii hates your pets. You read that right. Hawaii government seems to have forgotten they represent Hawaii residents, especially those representing Kakaako and Waikiki residents. Time and time again the Department of Parks and Rec has ignored a push to change laws, making parks in Honolulu pet friendly. 

Residents within Honolulu county have very few safe places to walk their pets and families. Basic elements of infrastructure like sidewalks and handicapped accessible ramps are missing or neglected throughout many of Oahu's neighborhoods. Your options are to walk in the middle of the road as you play chicken with vehicles or to search for nearby walkways. Kapiolani Park, Queen's Beach Walk, and Ala Moana have miles of paved walkways, but are all deemed illegal to walk dogs. The city has been using resources to hunt down residents walking their dogs. Policemen on ATVs pull up and issue citations. They pace up and down sidewalks writing tickets to unsuspecting citizens just who are simply trying to get outside and exercise. 

The city’s solution: dog parks. This is NOT a solution. While dog parks can be a great place for pet socialization, they can also be a place of fighting, disease, etc. Reactive dogs, dogs who need to be on leash, and dogs who simply don't "play" need a solution. Families with small children AND dogs need a solution. Joggers who have dogs need a solution. The kupuna and their dogs need a solution.

Dog owners are forced to walk their dogs (and often times families) on the sidewalks (or lack there of) of town, outside the safety of a paved walkway and onto sidewalks and intersections where drivers pay little attention to pedestrians -- sidewalks where kupuna have been attacked and beaten.

But never fear! Honolulu has given us one park: Kakaako Waterfront Park. A park so unmaintained that thorns get stuck to feet (and puppy paws) just walking on the pavement. Don't even think about going into the grass. Trash blows freely and the houseless run rampant, overtaking the bathrooms. This is no place to walk your family. Not until the city decides to prioritize its upkeep.

Honolulu needs to do better. Park laws were put into place decades ago, well before many high rises were built. The demographic of Kakaako/Ala Moana has changed completely and the law needs to keep up. There are thousands of residents with dogs who need places to walk them. Tiny dog parks and forgotten city parks don't cut it. Decriminalize the simple act of walking your dog. 

Enforce leash laws and enforce picking up your pet's waste, but quit the witch hunt of Hawaii residents, issuing them citations and court dates for non criminal behavior. LET THE PEOPLE (AND DOGS) WALK!

The opposition will tell you that they don't want to waste city resources by enforcing leash laws and fixing signage, but they are okay with wasting resources so long as it's going towards enforcing the criminalization of walking dogs. Signs at parks need to be updated anyway - many signs contradict each other and confuse park goers. In one grassy area, mauka of the park there are signs that say "no ball playing", but none of the other mauka signs say this.

The opposition will also mention pet waste going into the ocean. If leash laws are enforced, the amount of dogs entering the ocean to potty should be miniscule. If pet waste was a real concern for these individuals, they would be more proactive on getting the stray cat situation handled, rather than calling the cops on their neighbors out getting exercise with their dog.