Questions regarding lack of animal services
Have you ever wondered why there are so many displaced animals on the Big Island?
Daily, I see voluminous posts on social media sites where individuals have found starving, neglected animals discarded/disposed of since there are few agencies capable of taking them in. This is unacceptable.
We have lived on island for over 35 years and witnessed the decline of animal services islandwide, agencies pushing their problems onto others so as not to be seen as a “kill organization,” and especially pawning them off on the Hawaii Police Department (because they’re the heartless ones, right?).
Meanwhile, numerous animal advocacy organizations have emerged to assist in the overwhelming surplus of “unwanted pets.”
Recently, we had correspondence with the Hawaii Island Humane Society (Keauhou) and were told that they only accept “adoptable animals” into their shelter. If we had that sordid philosophy, 99% of the populace of Parrots in Paradise Sanctuary would have a very small census, and most parrots would be euthanized (after all, many of them live for 80-plus years).
Meanwhile, we watch the HIHS grow its grandiose shelter into a homage of beauty and splendor while occupying a very limited population of animals.
Maybe wealthy donors can feel a sense of satisfaction with the multimillions poured into the Keauhou shelter, but the truth of the matter is that the many mom-and-pop shelters islandwide could greatly benefit from a mere fraction of what’s been thrown into the spectacular, poorly utilized HIHS.
Sure, we’re going to ruffle the proverbial feathers that are out there, but really, do we need to add our police force to this created problem of displaced animals? I think not.
Soul-searching needs to be done. Fingers need to be pointed. Change needs to happen.
Dorothy Walsh
Kealakekua
Response to letter regarding Walmart
Kaleialoha Cotton’s letter (Jan. 18) regarding the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands leasing land to the Hilo Walmart for $1 is inaccurate.
DHHL posts the lease length and yearly rent paid by lessees statewide on their website.
Walmart is not direct lessee of DHHL. They sublease the land for their Hilo store from Hilo Power Partners LLC.
Hilo Power Partners owns the Waiakea Center complex where the Walmart store is located. They pay a yearly lease rent of $1.8 million to DHHL.
The Waiakea Center master lease with DHHL, which runs until 2056, doesn’t include the Hilo Office Max store. Office Max has a separate lease with HHL that runs until 2035. They pay $85,000 a year in lease rent.
The DHHL has 123 general leases statewide with various commercial, government, utility, etc., entities. These leases generate approximately $15.8 million in yearly income for the department.
This income is used to further its mission of placing eligible Native Hawaiians on homesteads.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona