Report from The Humane Society of the United States – The Hawaii State Legislature unanimously passed a number of animal protection bills to strengthen animal cruelty laws, help residents find rental housing that accepts pets, and make other improvements for animals in state policy. These bills now go to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his approval.
Inga Gibson, Hawaii state director for The Humane Society of the United States, said: “The people of Hawaii urged their legislators to take action, and now we urge Governor Abercrombie to sign these important measures that will better protect Hawaii’s animals.”
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro said: “I am pleased that the Legislature passed these measures to protect animals. The Prosecuting Attorney’s office will continue to work toward establishing mandatory sentences in cases of multiple counts of animal cruelty and making sure that large-scale breeding operations are carefully regulated.”
The measures are:
· SB 6 prohibits barbaric steel-jawed leghold traps and limits the use of snares and other body-crushing traps in residential areas where pets fall victim and often attempt to chew off their own limbs to escape such painful devices.
· SB 9 places a moratorium on a person convicted of felony animal cruelty from owning or possessing an animal for a minimum of five years.
· SB 978 upgrades misdemeanor cruelty offenses involving 10 or more animals to a felony.
· SB 328 allows pet owners and landlords to negotiate a deposit to allow pets to reside in the premises; SB 635 enhances penalties for the intentional abuse of a law enforcement dog or horse; and HB 235 clarifies that local humane societies are eligible for restitution when taking in animals forfeited in cruelty cases.
· The Legislature also unanimously passed a resolution asking retailers not to buy or sell illegal ivory in Hawaii. Hawaii is the nation’s third-largest ivory retailer. Illegal poaching for ivory is behind the deaths of tens of thousands of elephants worldwide.
The HSUS thanks the leadership of bill sponsors Rep. Karl Rhoads, (D-29), Angus McKelvey, (D-10), Jessica Wooley, (D-48), Sen. Rosalyn Baker, (D-6), and Clayton Hee, (D-23), a four-year consecutive HSUS Humane Legislator Award recipient.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We’re there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty – on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to Wayne Pacelle’s blog, A Humane Nation. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.
I am a strong supporter of animal rights! I believe they have souls just as we do and they deserve all the protection we can offer them.
Animal protection laws, although are very important in any civilized society, we should not take it to the extreme! There are situations in which, using animal products, like fish protein powder, is very useful for our lives. These situations are not to be condemned by the animal protection agencies as the animals used are not endangered, nor suffer any form of suffering before being sacrificed!
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