We serve the greatest Nation in the world, and we're afraid to bring our pets to Hawaii because of a poorly run, poorly staffed, outdated State run facility.

I am fighting for change in honor of Lola, my Olde English bully that barely survived the Hawaii Animal Quarantine Facility, only to lose a fight with cancer this January 11th.  The facility is in desparate need of updating as well as extensive training for the staff.  Without these changes the pets of those who come here are subject to a quarantine process in a facility that is more akin to a death camp.  Hence our petition to Representative Cynthia Thielen, the driving force that could push through the necessary legislation to make the changes needed.

With a 25 day notice to transfer to Kaneohe Bay MCB Hawaii, we didn't have time to avoid the 120 day rabies quarantine that is mandated by the State of Hawaii.  Our bully, Lola, went from the airport straight into the quarantine facility on July 11th.  Long story short, on August 2nd I stopped by after work to visit with my big bully.  When I got out of my car I could hear what I thought was my baby gasping for air.  The closer I got to the perimeter fence, the more scared I became.  I ran up to the entry point and made my way around to her kennel.  I found her bleeding, bruised, salivating profusely, glassy-eyed and unresponsive.  I grabbed the water hose next to her kennel and watered her down, a lot.  It wasn't working so I ran to the caretaker shack and found three of them sitting there listening to her gasp for her last breathe.  They took her over to the station vet and found that she had a 107.1 temp, she was immediately rushed to an outside vet hospital.  She spent the next two days in ice packs, on oxygen and IVs.  Luckily there was no organ damage and she was able to finish the quarantine at the hospital.

If we can convince Representative Thielen to push through legislation, positive changes can be made that will ensure the safety and well-being of hundreds of pets that are mandated to endure the quarantine process at the AQS.  The facility can be updated and actually maintained at an acceptable level; staff can receive the training they need in order to become the professional caretakers that the Department of Agriculture claims they are; the level of care being provided will actually be at an acceptable and adequate level.

If we lose, then Representative Thielen will re-write the rabies process to shorten the length of stay required, but the facility will remain untouched and the many pets (family members) that are mandated to stay there will endure substandard facilities, substandard caretakers, and substandard levels of care.  Our family members will come out bruised, beaten, neglected, forever changed, or in a body bag if change is not made and made soon.