Local no-kill rescue agencies working on Hawai'i Island have been adopting animals from the Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS, a kill shelter) for several months, if not longer. Three no-kill rescue agencies have adopted dogs; these dogs either remain on the island or are transported to the west coast and placed into no-kill shelters.  
Two of the agencies KARES (Kohala Animal Relocation & Education Services) and Big Island Dog Rescue (BIDR) have received letters (on or about July 14th, 2015) advising them that these agencies will no longer be able to adopt animals from HIHS until further notice when a contract, upon HIHS approval, will be established to set guidelines for these rescue agencies to be permitted to work with HIHS.  These letters can be viewed on BIDR Facebook public page.

Important Update:  On July 17th, 2015, staff from the Columbia Humane Society in Oregon shared an electronic communication they received on June 17th, 2015 from Donna Whitaker of HIHS stating that the Board and legal council "met and agreed that [their] old policy was valid".  The screenshot of this communication can be seen
 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206191907329660&set=gm.850664315017390&type=1

According to BIDR, the HIHR has been working on protocol since May 6, 2015, however when questioned about it, the HIHS reported that the policy in place was fine (this has been recently verified by the above shared communication).   In the meantime, no adoptions will be permitted to these rescue agencies; furthermore, it appears that anyone personally involved with these rescue agencies will be denied adoption privileges. 

More information can be found in the West Hawaii Today July 14th, 2015 news article (http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/1902933.html)

Another article was written Wednesday July 15th, 2015 by Denise Laitinen of Big Island Business News  and can be found at http://deniselaitinen.com/hihs-suspends-adoptions-rescue-groups/

On July 15th, 2015 6:30pm Hawai'i Time, the letter below was drafted to the HIHS director, Donna Whitaker.  Every signature collected from now on will be attached to an electronic letter sent to HIHS.  This is due in part to the overwhelming attention of the petition.  

On July 15th, 2015 Hawai'i News Now broadcast the following newstory
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29560194/hawaii-island-humane-society-suspends-adoptions-to-rescue-organizationsARES

On July 16th, Hawai'i State Senator Josh Green was also added to this petition.  According to BIDR co-ordinator, T. Autele "Senator Green seems interested".  Hawai'i County Mayor, Billy Kenoi, has also been added and will receive electronic signatures.

On July 18th, 2015, West Hawai'i Today covered that day's demonstration outside of HIHS Kona Shelter. (also in the update below) http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/dog-rescues-go-underground-face-moratorium

This petition is being generated to encourage the HIHS to revise this recent policy and permit these no-kill agencies to find homes for these animals. Together, let's find these animals homes, rather than end their lives.