Services
>> Animal Control
The Hawaii Island Humane Society holds a contract with the
County of Hawaii to enforce certain animal-related laws. We
offer 24-hour service for injured animals and other animal
emergencies. If you have a complaint about a possible violation
of an animal related law, including cruelty, please call your
local shelter immediately. Your information will be kept confidential.
It is not only illegal to abandon an animal, it is cruel.
Abandoned animals suffer from starvation, attack and injury.
All of our shelters offer free intake of unwanted or found
animals.
Animals require food, shelter, fresh water and medical care.
Do not delay in calling if you suspect cruelty. Many times,
humane officers can intervene early enough to assist owners
in providing proper care for their animals. Animals cannot
speak for themselves – they need you to speak up for
them!
Without proper training, any dog can become a nuisance. A
well-trained dog will not bark at common, everyday occurrences
but only when its territory is threatened or when it is frightened,
teased or angry. When barking continues for ten continuous
minutes or intermittently for 20 minutes within a 30 minute
period, it is considered a violation of the noisy dog statute.
If you are having a problem with a neighbor's dog barking,
we suggest you try talking to your neighbor first. You may
want to give your neighbor a copy of the article The
Barking Dog. If the noise problem re-occurs, you will
need to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311
to file a complaint with the Hawaii County Police Department.
If a dog bites or harms a person or domestic animal, the owner
may be required to appear in court. The court will determine
any possibly fines, whether the dog is deemed to be dangerous,
and what steps the owner must take to prevent further problems.
Corrective action mandated by the court may include requiring
the dog to be spayed or neutered, attend obedience training,
wear a muzzle, and be kept in the home or a locked kennel.
The dog's owner may be fined anywhere from $200 to $2,000
and be sentenced to up to 30 days in jail. Dogs deemed dangerous
are also required to be microchipped at the owner’s
expense.
If you see a dead animal on the side of the road, please report
it to your local shelter (in Kau or HOVE, you can contact
the Roads Dept at 939-2500). Removal of dead animals on private
property is the responsibility of the property owner. Dead
animals may be brought to the Humane Society for disposal
for a small fee. For dead or injured wild donkeys, call the
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) at 887-6063.
Animals are not permitted to defecate on any private property
without the permission of the property owner. If your pet
defecates on the side of a public street or other public thoroughfare,
you are required by law to pick up the waste and dispose of
it in a sanitary manner.
In the County of Hawaii, dogs are required to wear a valid
license at all times. Licenses are updated every 2 years and
cost $2.10 for sterilized animals and $6.10 for unsterilized
animals. Wearing a license tag will enable the Humane Society
to return your lost dog to you. We recommend that cats also
wear ID tags, available at your shelter for only $2.50. Another
way to permanently identify your pet is to have him microchipped
and register the chip with HIHS. Your veterinarian can perform
this service.
Dogs are not permitted in County Beach Parks under any circumstances,
even while on a leash. On other public property, dogs are
required to be under restraint on a leash of eight feet or
less. Dogs are considered stray if they are on private property
without the consent of the property owner.
Rabbits may not be kept on the ground, but rather in hutches
that are built up off the ground. This helps prevent rabbits
from getting loose and posing a threat to our environment.
The Department of Agriculture enforces this law.
To help protect Hawaii's fragile environment, there are animals
that are not allowed into the state. The Department of Agriculture
enforces this law. If you are in the state and have an animal
that is not allowed, you may call the Department of Agriculture
to arrange to bring it to them (or the Humane Society) under
their amnesty program.
Hawaii does not have rabies and the state requires that all
cats and dogs must be quarantined. The Animal Quarantine Station
is under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.
For more information about quarantine visit the Hawaii
Department of Agriculture website.
Donkeys, turkeys, pigs, and goats fall under the jurisdiction
of DLNR. If you have a problem with these wild animals, please
contact them at 887-6063.
Injured protected native Hawaiian species, such as the pue’o
(owl) or I’o (hawk) need immediate attention. Please
contact your local shelter immediately.
"Until he extends the circle
of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself
find peace."
Dr. Albert Schweitzer 1875-1965
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