The Kauai Humane Society cited a Makaweli man for animal desertion and animal cruelty Thursday morning after Animal Control Officers rescued five dogs from a house in Pakala Wednesday morning. The dogs had been left at the residence of Aluina
The Kauai Humane Society cited a Makaweli man for animal desertion and animal cruelty Thursday morning after Animal Control Officers rescued five dogs from a house in Pakala Wednesday morning.
The dogs had been left at the residence of Aluina Kanahele. Kanahele moved from his house to another in the camp several weeks ago.
“It was a concern of many that was forwarded to (Pakala Camp owner Bruce) Robinson himself, and a manager called us,” said Animal Control Office Jason Shimauchi.
He and Dr. Becky Rhoades, Kauai Humane Society director, described the conditions the dogs were living in.
Four dogs were chained to trees or parts of the house and one was shut in a metal cage, they said.
“When I initially approached the house, being that the resident was no longer there, we could smell the stench of the fecal matter,” Shimauchi said.
All the dogs were underweight and have skin disease, and two were emaciated, Rhoades said. They will continue to rehabilitate the dogs. The rescue was the fourth this year, she said.
“Our role was to protect the animals and make sure this never happens again,” she said. The mission of the Kauai Humane Society is to prevent cruelty to animals and to provide education for compassion and care for all animals, according to a statement on the organization’s Web site.
Kayla, a male Shepherd mix, had a seven-foot chain wrapped around his neck twice and the skin lesions were growing over the chain. Lila, a Rottweiler, was kept in a cage, left to sit and sleep in her own feces and urine with a bowl of water filled with green algae. Maka, a brown bulldog-mix, was anchored under the house and was the most emaciated of the five. Neighbors told the humane officers the dog got tangled and hadn’t been moving. Killa, a female Airedale, was kept under the steps of the house. Lastly, Keia, a female hound mix, had the best living conditions of the five, being tied to a tree with a 7-foot cable next to a dog house.
“The big thing is that the Kauai Humane Society has not had the authority to issue citations regarding animal cruelty,” Rhoades said. She said that in the past they would rely on the police department to investigate and issue citations. “We’re so much more professional and have the authority, and are working with the prosecutor’s office and police department,” she said.
The state’s animal desertion law states it is illegal for owners or caretakers of animals to “leave the animal without the intention of returning to it.” Violating this law is a petty misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Kanahele was cited for breaking the animal cruelty law for not providing “necessary sustenance” for the dogs, or “care sufficient to preserve the health and well-being of a pet animal.” A “pet animal” is a cat, bird, dog, rabbit, or guinea pig. Rhoades said it was clear that the dogs were not receiving food of sufficient quality or quantity, access to clean water, protection from the elements, and were not kept reasonably clean and free from excess waste or other contaminants. Breaking the animal cruelty law is a misdemeanor, punishable by fines of up to $2,000 and a year in jail.
“Owners don’t take the responsibility of taking care of their animals because they take too many animals and they work too much or get busy, which is understandable, but they should take care of their animals,” said animal control officer Steve Lizama, who also helped rescue the animals.
People who cannot take care of their animals for whatever reason should not feel bad about taking them to the Kauai Humane Society to get adopted by someone else, Rhoades said. Also, those with concerns about people possibly harming animals should call 632-0610. Hours of operation are Tuesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Adoptions open from 11 a.m. Tuesday – Friday and from 9 a.m. on Saturday.
On the Web: http://www.kauaihumanesociety.org
Staff Writer Kendyce Manguchei can be reached at mailto:kmanguchei@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 252).
