HAWAII COUNTY LEGALIZES ANIMAL CRUELTY AND CRIMINALIZES COMPASSION

PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE.  THE COMPASSIONATE CARETAKERS NEED YOUR VOICE 
BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ALLOW THE CATS TO STARVE TO DEATH. 

Repealing Bill 51 is crucial for several reasons. First, many of these cats did not choose to be abandoned and are victims of circumstances. They rely on the kindness of compassionate individuals who take on the responsibility of feeding and caring for them, often spending their own time and resources. Penalizing these Good Samaritans is not only unjust but also inhumane. Criminalizing the feeding of these animals does not address the root of the overpopulation problem and instead may exacerbate it. Allowing these cats to starve is blatant animal cruelty. 

We urge the Hawaii County Council to repeal this legislation and to work with animal welfare experts to develop compassionate strategies that offer the best outcomes for both the cats and our community. Please sign this petition to show your support for repealing Bill 51 and advocating for more effective and humane solutions to manage the feline population in Hawaii County. Your voice can help bring about necessary change and protect both our community and its defenceless animals.

A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE ISSUES WITH BILL 51 

• Bill 51, the CAT KiLL BILL becomes law on January 1, 2026.
• Testimonies at the Hearing for Bill 51 were over 7,000 in opposition and approximately 400 in support of the Bill, yet the Council voted to pass the Bill into Law.
• Bill 51 criminalizes anyone feeding cats on County land.
• Most of the abandoned cats are part of the Trap/Neuter/Return/Manage Programs islandwide and have been fed on County land for 30 years.
• THE COMPASSIONATE CARETAKERS: The majority of the colony caretakers are senior women. They often use their limited funds to feed and care for the cats.
• There is no alternate plan except to let the cats starve. 

COUNTY AND STATE OF HAWAII HAVE ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED THE FOLLOWING ACTS against these caretakers:

•  Racism: Called them “a bunch of old white ladies.”
• Disrespect:  Admonished the “old white ladies” giving testimony against Bill 51, for using the word Aloha in their testimony saying it is not their language.
• Defamation: Alleges that the senior women who feed the colony cats as “crazy” due to having toxoplasmosis, of which there is no evidence.
• Blame: The general public now views the cat feeders as criminals, and this opens the door for harassment and assault.  Cats are accused of disseminating the native birds when the # 1 cause of native bird extinction is the disease-carrying mosquito and loss of habitat, not cats.
• Harassment:  The County of Hawaii has allowed harassment, stalking, and terrorizing of the senior caretakers while they feed the starving cats.  
• Terroristic Threatening: The County of Hawaii has allowed County employees to threaten senior caretakers feeding the cats in those areas.  
• Conflict of Interest:  Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas has publicly promoted the Bill at public events.
• Contradicts Hawaii State Law on animal cruelty: HRS 711-1109) … Cruelty to animals in the second degree.  
• Tourists at Risk: Tourists who often feed animals they encounter are at risk.
• No Transparency: DLNR has taken many dead Nene geese to a crematorium to have them cremated without a necropsy.  Then they blame the cats and the caretakers.

THE COMPASSIONATE CARETAKERS:

THE MOST HUMANE SOLUTION RECOMMENDED BY NATIONAL AND LOCAL ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS:

• There was a funded proposal to implement a pilot in a major park to TRAP/NEUTER/RETURN OR RELOCATE/MANAGE the cats.  THE COUNTY REFUSED THE HUMANE SOLUTION BY VOTING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT TO BILL 51.   The proposal would have included the following:
  o   County-sanctioned TRNM program.
  o   Certified Cat Colony Caretakers who attend training on best practices.
  o   Meow Metrics to track and report on colony activity including newly abandoned animals, spay and neuter surgeries, colony count, adoptions, and fostering of infant and juvenile pet species animals.
  o   Zero cost to the taxpayers for implementation and program management.

THE VOTES:  

The Bill passed by a vote of 5 in support and 4 opposing the Bill. Those Council Members who supported this Bill to starve cats: Dennis Onishi, James Hustace, Holeka Inaba, Matt Kleinfleder, and Rebecca Villegas. Kleinfleder and Villegas will term out at the end of 2026.  Onishi, Hystace, and Inaba should be voted out as they did not listen to their constituents who overwhelmingly opposed Bill 51.

The Council Members who voted against Bill 51: Ashley Kierkiewicz, Jenn Kagiwada, Heather Kimball and Michelle Galima.  Except for Ashley Kierkiewicz who is in her final term, the others will be up for reelection.  We must support these women.