Animal Control Guidelines
So who are you going to call if there’s a stray dog in the neighborhood? Or a vicious dog on the loose?
In the old days, you called the dog-catcher.
Animal control means more than dog-catching, though. In Hawai`i County, the enforcement of animal control laws is contracted out by the Police Department to the Hawai`i Island Humane Society, which operates three animal shelters on the island -- in Kea’au, Waimea and Kona.
It is the Humane Society’s responsibility to respond to residents’ complaints about stray or vicious dogs. In many cases the public calls the police regarding a nuisance dog, and the complaint will be relayed to the Humane Society for follow-up. The police also respond to complaints of vicious dogs and dogs that bark excessively (unprovoked, for more than 20 consecutive minutes).
The Humane Society’s officers also dispose of dead animals killed on the public roads, euthanize animals and spay and neuter dogs and cats. Their shelters take in thousands of abandoned or unwanted animals every year, and the Humane Society works to find them homes.
There are currently 11 animal control officers employed to cover the island, and there is always at least one animal control officer on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Because the Humane Society’s contract is administered by the Police Department, the Humane Society cooperates closely with the police. The Humane Society’s animal control officers are encouraged to attend police recruit training classes on report writing, the use of force issues, crisis intervention and police procedures and citations. Once the training requirements are met, the officers are commissioned for two years and issued their badges.
An important task of the Humane Society is to educate the public on various county ordinances and laws related to animal control, such as the Dangerous Dog Ordinance that took effect in December 2002.
The Dangerous Dog Ordinance addresses dog bites, aggressive behavior and killing of other animals. The owner of a dog responsible for this kind of behavior, for example, may be charged with a petty misdemeanor and spend up to 30 days in jail or pay a fine of $200 to $2,000. The owner is also responsible for any damage caused by his or her dog.
There are also animal control ordinances on the books regarding barking dogs and keeping dogs on a leash. Dog owners are required to keep their dogs confined to their property or to walk them on a leash when in public. It’s illegal to allow your pet to stray onto public roads or your neighbors' property.
The Humane Society encourages pet owners to license their animals and micro-chip them for identification. Licenses and micro-chip services are available at the three Humane Society shelters.
For more information on the subject of animal control, call the Hawaii Island Humane Society at 966-5458.
Rodent control is the responsibility of the Vector Control Section of the Department of Health. The health agency maintains three offices on the Big Island -- in Hilo, Honokaa and Kealakekua. For further information on vector control, call 974-4238.
To recap: Call the Humane Society at 966-5459 during business hours or at the emergency off-hours hotline at 934-5577:
- To report vicious dogs
- To report stray dogs
- To report neglected animals or cruelty to animals
- To report feral cats
- To obtain dog licenses and micro-chipping
- To report a dead animal on a public road
- To obtain information about pet adoption
- To spay or neuter your dog or cat
Call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311:
- To report vicious dogs
- To report noisy dogs (dogs that bark unprovoked for more than 20 consecutive minutes). The Police Department suggests contacting the owner first to request that the dog’s barking be controlled.
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