Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu
Written Remarks for the House Journal
House Bill 2725, House Draft 1, Senate Draft 1, Conference Draft 1
Relating to Animals
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
58th Day, Final Reading
Consent Calendar
I rise in support.
The purpose of this bill is to revise laws prohibiting the cruel treatment of pet animals by specifying the standards of care that an owner must provide a pet animal, including the type of pet enclosure and under what conditions and when veterinary care must be provided. The new amendment requires that the area of confinement in a primary pet enclosure must: Provide access to shelter; Be constructed of safe materials to protect the pet animal from injury; Enable the pet animal to be clean, dry, and free from excess waste or other contaminants that could affect the pet animal’s health; Provide the pet animal with a solid surface or resting platform that is large enough for the pet animal to lie upon in a normal manner, or, in the case of a caged bird a perch that is large enough for the bird to perch upon in a normal manner; Provide sufficient space to allow the pet animal to, at minimum, do the following: Easily stand, sit, lie, turn around, and make all other normal body movements in a comfortable manner for the pet animal, without making physical contact with any other animal in the enclosure; and Interact safely with other animals within the enclosure. Finally, one must provide veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering for the pet animal.
A pet animal is defined under section 711-1100, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as “a dog, cat, domesticated rabbit, guinea pig, domesticated pig, or caged birds (passeriformes, piciformes, and psittaciformes only) so long as not bred for consumption. Nothing in this bill is intended to apply to animals that are raised for food, such as any livestock or chickens that are raised for consumption or for eggs, nor to any pigs or rabbits that are raised specifically for consumption.
Thank you.
JON RIKI KARAMATSU 