Hawaii County Council approves first reading of ordinance restricting feeding of feral animals on county property with pilot caretakers program

Hawaii County Council members passed first reading of Bill 51 on Wednesday after extended public testimony and two amendments that narrow the measure and create a pilot, certified-caretaker program. The ordinance, as amended, prohibits feeding feral or stray animals on county-owned, leased, rented, managed or operated property and establishes a process for a pilot managed-cat program that allows limited, site-specific feeding and trap-neuter-return-manage (TNRM) activities by trained, certified caretakers. The council set Jan. 1, 2026, as the ordinance's effective start date.

The vote followed more than three hours of public comment in Kona, Hilo and on Zoom. Testifiers included longtime animal rescuers, veterinarians, wildlife biologists and Native Hawaiian speakers who differed sharply on how the county should balance public recreation, public health and conservation of native species.

Supporters of the amendment-based pilot said disciplined, data-driven TNRM and carefully administered relocation or sanctuary arrangements are the most humane and effective way to reduce free-roaming cat populations. Forest Bird Recovery Biologist Brett Mossman, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, told the council the agency supports "science-backed solutions" and urged measures used on other islands to reduce predation pressure on native birds.

Opponents warned that banning feeding without viable county-supported alternatives would drive caregivers underground and could increase starvation, disease and abandoned animals in sensitive ecosystems. Dr. Kelly Foster, a veterinarian, told the council bluntly, "I kill cats," as she explained the clinical realities that sometimes lead veterinarians to euthanasia and warned that removing feeding without a workable trapping-and-sterilization plan will not stop cats from surviving and may increase predation. Many community caretakers and nonprofit leaders, including Lisa Lane Carden, cofounder of Aloha Animal Alliance, urged the council to fund and expand proven TNRM and sanctuary options rather than criminalize feeders.

Council members debated whether to postpone the vote to allow the bill's sponsor to return to the dais. A motion to postpone failed. Council member Kimball offered an amendment (communication 283.4) to authorize a pilot managed-cat program run in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Animal Control/Animal Rescue community; that amendment passed after council discussion. A second amendment (communication 283.5) set an explicit start date (Jan. 1, 2026) to give the county and partners time to set up training, an MOU, and certification procedures; that amendment also passed.

Administrator Michelle Reynolds said Parks and Recreation will coordinate with community groups that have developed training materials and will work to formalize an MOU and vetting process, though she cautioned implementation will take time and additional funding. Under the adopted amendments, the county may issue identification cards for certified caretakers, and feeding under the pilot is permitted only at designated times and locations and only as part of an approved, monitored program.

Council members who supported the final amended ordinance said it strikes a compromise: it restricts unregulated feeding on county property while preserving a controlled pathway for community caretakers working with the county to trap, sterilize, rehome and, where necessary, humanely euthanize animals. Opponents said the measure may still be difficult to enforce and could drive caregiving underground if the county does not provide enough resources for spay/neuter, sanctuaries or rehoming.

Votes at a glance (key votes from the meeting) - Bill 51 (feeding of feral/stray animals on county property), Bill 51 draft 2 as amended: passed first reading. Final recorded vote on first reading: Yes: Council member Galimba; Council member Eustace; Council member Kagiwada; Council member Kurkowitz; Council member Kimball; Council member Villegas (6). No: Vice Chair Onishi (1). Absent/excused: Council member Inaba; Council member Klinefelder (2). (Motion to pass by Council member Galimba; second by Council member Eustace.) - For context, the council debated and approved two amendments described in the body: communication 283.4 (managed-cat pilot/caretaker certification) and communication 283.5 (effective start date 2026-01-01).

Why it mattered: The measure responds to complaints about animal waste, human health concerns, impacts on county facilities and threats to native wildlife while also testing a structured approach for community caretakers to continue humane work under county oversight. Testimony made clear the issue is deeply divisive: some residents called feeding bans cruel and urged more county-funded spay/neuter and sanctuary options; others said unchecked feeding on public land harms native species and public recreation.

What's next: Bill 51 passed first reading and moves to second reading. Council members and county administrators said they will continue work on memoranda of understanding, caretaker training standards and funding sources to support the pilot. The ordinance as amended takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, if adopted on second reading and signed by the mayor.

Ending: The council's action sets an enforceable county policy restricting unregulated feeding on public property while creating a path for certified, monitored caretaker programs. Implementation details ' training materials, MOU language, funding and enforcement protocols ' are left to county staff and partners to develop before the ordinance's effective date.