EVICTION CRISIS 102008

We are in a crisis and need everyone’s help to save the cats at the Kea’au Transfer Station. For more than 20 years, Mary Van Hove has tirelessly taken care of these feral/stray/abandoned cats, but due to illness and her advanced age, she has retired from being the primary caregiver of these felines. Please keep in mind that these animals have been allowed to be there for 20 plus years.

Others stepped forward to provide continuous help for the resident cats, with each of us having specific days to feed & care. I formed HPH (Hui Pono Holoholona), an East Hawaiian Trap/Neuter/Release-Manage program, which, like other TNR-Ms on the mainland, includes worming, de-fleaing, adding rain shelters, medication when necessary, random disease testing, and finding homes and/or sanctuary placement for some of the dumped kittens or friendly adults.

Our caregiving for the four (4) separate colonies at Kea’au has shown remarkable results in the cats, who are fatter, friendlier, attractive animals now. Our TNR-M program has reduced the kitten births to zero. Through everyday monitoring, we are on alert for new “dumps;” for instance, 3 kittens were abandoned and rescued from under the metal bins last Monday. Animal abandonment has, and always will be, a big problem at Kea’au. If we are prohibited from continuing our successful TNR-M program, then this uninformed, uncaring County administration is taking a huge step backward. Many of the Transfer Station’s employees thank us for our endeavor and passers-by give us donations for food. Cats are cheap and effective rodent control, and most people see that our TNT-M truly works, is humane, and a sign of true aloha.

We now face an unprecedented crisis as the higher management wants the cats out, and we have been given notice that:

1) We either remove the cats by November 15 or they will have HIHS do it (a death sentence, see October newsletter for stats).

This threat is outrageous and inhumane, and we need your voice to help us stop this tragedy from happening. This transfer station has 20 acres, and we have previously asked that a small area (farther back and out of sight) be set aside for us to move the colonies to, and to continue our care and TNR-M program. Furthermore, to my knowledge, there is no law to prevent feeding of these animals, as technically, the land is under the County’s control.

We met with Mayor Kim some months ago, and it was agreed upon that the animals would not be removed or harmed, and the Mayor told us he would try to find us 1 or 2 acres to move the animals to safely. We were also trying to locate a place as well, but found no donors. Now that Mayor Kim is leaving in November, it seems that his given word is no longer going to be honored.

1) That the employees had complained about the animals. Untrue, actually more of the employees have expressed their thankfulness, and even donated monies for food.

2) The cats were defecating at the water spigots. Also wrong. I’ve looked at this area and found it to be rocks and tarmac; cats prefer elsewhere than where humans traffic to do their business.

3) There is no rat problem because trash bins are emptied at the end of the day. Again, not so. I’ve been there at closing more than once, and found that trash bins continue to be filled even after the last pick up. Congratulate the cats for keeping the rat problem from being an epidemic one.

How can you help? Please send your letters to Mayor Kim, all the County Council members, and to mayoral contenders Mr. Billy Kenoi and Mr. Angel Pilago .

Ask them to:

2) Support the ongoing successful TNR-M program sponsored by HPH (Hui Pono Holoholona) animal organization. Past precedent for the last 20 years has been to allow the animals there (see the lease agreement for these 20 acres). It seems to fall silent on any animal presence there. Remind them that although there will be improvements at the Kea’au Transfer Station, not all the 20 acres will be transformed, and that setting aside within the 20 acres a small area for our continued care makes more sense. Eradicating the animals is inhumane, more costly to the taxpayer, never a long term solution, and counterproductive. As long as people are there, animals will continue to be abandoned there—that is a reality.

3) Mayor Kim’s County of Hawaii Proclamation supports TNR-M of cat colonies (published in the local papers): … In the County of Hawai’i and encourage all citizens to support their Trap-Neuter-Return Program for the abandoned, unwanted and homeless cats throughout the Island of Hawai’i. This Proclamation was made on the behalf of Kona AdvoCats TNR-M program. Hui Pono Holoholona is a new Puna animal organization, also committed to TNR-M programs. What is appropriate for Kona should be appropriate for the Puna side as well, and established at the Kea’au Transfer Station.

We need your intervention. Please read The Vacuum Effect. Many studies and years of experience show that removing the cats is not a humane or long-term solution. Other cats will come to replace the removed cats. Without TNR-M program on site, it will again revert to a sad and serious problem .

These animals have a home that is well established for over 20 years at the Kea’au Transfer Station. They have shelters, are now well fed, wormed, de-fleaed, randomly tested for disease, medicated, and when homes are available they are adopted. It is a fact that unfed, starving animals will seek out food, and become a nuisance. Keeping food and health maintained with an effective TNR-M program is a win-win for all. These animals keep away from the daily operation of traffic and business there because they are usually apprehensive of humans (except for their caregivers).

Please speak up for the animals, they are running out of time. Their lives are at stake, and only you can save them by making those phone calls, and writing letters.

Numbers to call: Department of Environmental Management, Bobbie Jean Leithead Todd, Director — 961-8086, Mayor’s office — 961-8211, Emily Naeole — 961-8267, Bob Jacobson — 961-8263, J. Yoshimoto — 961-8272, Stacy Higa — 961-8396, Pete Hoffmann — 887-2069, Dominic Yagong — 961-8264, Donald Ikeda — 961-8261, Brenda Ford — 326-5684/961-8027, K. Angel Pilago — 327-3642/961-8265.

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