Ban on feeding feral cats

[Jasper's Mom]

In Hawaii, it is now NOT against the law to feed feral cats. Many people worked very hard to get this law passed. Even with this law, the powers-that-be at Pearl Harbor have a contract with someone to come on base to trap cats and drop them off at the Hawaiian Humane Society, most likely to be destroyed. We do not have rabies or any other disease in Hawaii that is spread by cats. They run and hide in fear when people approach, so are not a threat to anyone. The problems created by the ban on feeding will increase.

Many, many kind and caring people are doing TNRM, trap, neuter, return, and manage the cats. They feed the cats on base, at their own expense, keep the cat areas clean, and provide water in a hot, dry area. Now they are forbidden to do so. If they trap them, they can only drop them off for destruction, and not return them to the base. They cannot place them somewhere else because feral groups try to kill newcomers, and the displaced cats will only try to return to where they were taken from. If the people are caught violating the "ban on feeding", they can lose the right of access to the base. Some people work there, some are retired individuals doing a kindness, and some are military personnel and dependents.

This is an unkind and inhumane thing to do, which will cause much suffering to these helpless, lost, abandoned and wild cats, a problem most likely created by military personnel and families dumping their pets upon rotation of duty. So many are feeding and caring for the cats in many areas of the base, and on other military installations all over the island. They are actively trapping, neutering and returning cats, helping to reduce the population. The care they give is now forbidden.

Why are supposedly intelligent military brass making antiquated decisions, ignoring loads of information on feral cat management offered by the many local organizations and the great resources on the internet.

I know no answers.

[4 feline house]

I think the military has always had this type of attitude. My dad was an Air Force officer for 20 years. Most of the time we lived in private homes, but once we lived on base. If your pet was picked up by the AP's you had twenty four hours to claim them. If they were ever picked up again, they were destroyed. I'm sure this is something that varies from base to base, and probably branch to branch. And this was almost 40 years ago.