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We have a serious issue with feral cats versus native wildlife.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resouces wants to kill any cat or dog that enters state-owned lands. This is unacceptable. This is not the Aloha Spirit.
A coalition letter, entitled A Collaborative, Humane Approach to Protecting Hawaiʻi's Endangered Wildlife and Managing Community Cats," went out last week to all the elected officials in Hawaii, along with hundreds of signatures.
There are solutions. It's time we come together to help this serious situation on Maui. Killing is not the answer.
The letter begins with "We, the undersigned organizations, veterinarians, wildlife advocates, community members, rescue organizations, researchers, Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, and concerned residents of Hawaii, respectfully urge our leaders to embrace balanced, science-informed, and humane policies that protect Hawai'i's endangered native wildlife while ensuring the ethical treatment and responsible management of community cats.
"We recognize that Hawaii's native birds are among the rarest and most unique species on Earth. Their protection is essential to preserving our islands' biodiversity, cultural heritage and ecological future. The loss of these species would represent an irreplaceable loss not only for
Hawaii, but for the world. At the same time, we recognize that community cats are not responsible for the circumstances that brought them to our islands. Their presence is the result of human actions over many decades, including pet abandonment, insufficient access to affordable spay and neuter services, irresponsible ownership, and the failure to provide adequate solutions for managing free-roaming animal populations."
Elise Travis
Kihei