A Hawaii joint Senate committee is holding votes on Tuesday and Wednesday for HB 1736—addressing Hawaii’s feral cat overpopulation crisis that does not (currently) include dogs. However, proposed amendments expand the bill’s mandatory sterilization requirements to include dogs brought into Hawaii. Dog owners are strongly encouraged to contact the joint committee and urge members to reject any such amendment.
Scroll down for contact information.
Summary:
House Bill 1736 establishes a statewide spay and neuter special fund to reduce pet overpopulation, requires cats over five months of age to be sterilized (with an exemption available via an “intact cat declaration” and fee), and prohibits the importation of intact cats into Hawaii with certain exceptions. The bill passed the full House on March 6 and was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment (AEN) and Senate Committee on Energy & Intergovernmental Affairs (EIG).
The bill was heard last week, but decision on a vote was deferred until Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. The AKC takes no position on the bill’s cat-related provisions.
However, amendments have been offered in committee to extend mandatory sterilization requirements to dogs brought into the state. The AKC strongly opposes any such amendment. No state in the country has enacted a statewide mandatory spay/neuter law for dogs, and for good reason: these mandates are ineffective at reducing shelter intake, are difficult to enforce, and impose serious burdens on responsible dog owners.
Moreover, the Hawaii Legislature has already rejected substantially similar proposals targeting dogs during this very session. House Bill 1594, which would have mandated proof of sterilization for all dogs imported into Hawaii and its Senate companion, SB 3012 failed to advance. Amending HB 1736 to include dogs would effectively reverse that deliberate legislative judgment through a back-door amendment, circumventing the process the Legislature already used to evaluate and decline these proposals.
The AKC opposes any amendment to HB 1736 that would subject dogs to mandatory sterilization requirements.
What You Can Do:
Contact the joint AEN/EIG Committee members and respectfully urge them to oppose any dog sterilization amendment:
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment (AEN):
- Mike Gabbard (Chair): (808) 586-6830 | sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Herbert M. “Tim” Richards III (Vice Chair): (808) 586-6760 | senrichards@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Lynn DeCoite: (808) 586-7225 | sendecoite@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Karl Rhoads: (808) 586-6130 | senrhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Brenton Awa: (808) 586-7330 | senawa@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senate Committee on Energy & Intergovernmental Affairs (EIG):
- Glenn Wakai (Chair): (808) 586-8585| senwakai@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Stanley Chang (Vice Chair): (808) 586-8420 | senchang@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Lynn DeCoite: (808) 586-7225 | sendecoite@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Herbert M. “Tim” Richards III: (808) 586-6760 | senrichards@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Kurt Fevella: (808) 586-6360 | senfevella@capitol.hawaii.gov
AKC Government Relations continues to monitor proposals in Hawaii impacting dog owners and will provide updates. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.