Bill to track intact animal imports draws sharp opposition from breeders, conservationists and animal groups

A bill that would require documentation that imported dogs and cats are surgically sterilized generated lengthy and divided testimony on Feb. 13 as senators weighed animal welfare, public-health and conservation goals against concerns from breed clubs and importers.

Patrick Chi (Department of Land and Natural Resources) and other conservation witnesses described the problem of free‑roaming cats and dogs and supported measures to reduce unsterilized imports. The Department of Agriculture reported the state recorded roughly 20,000–23,000 animal importations in the most recent year, figures that committee members raised during questioning about the scope of any program.

The Hawaiian Humane Society proposed amendments to track imports of intact animals without creating a full breeder regulatory regime. Stephanie Kendrick of the Hawaiian Humane Society said the bill does not prevent people from bringing intact animals into the state but asks for a declaration so authorities know where intact animals are housed.

Opponents included the Pacific Pet Alliance, the Cat Fanciers (breed preservation groups) and some individual importers and exhibitors. Lynn Morimaru of the Pacific Pet Alliance pressed for better baseline data and objected to a breeder registry provision with fees and unspecified rules; Ayesha Aoki of the Cat Fanciers said many responsible breeders do not contribute to overpopulation and warned a registry could harm breed preservation.

“Cat sterilization is widely supported,” Grant Sizemore of the American Bird Conservancy said in support of the bill, citing wildlife and ecosystem impacts from free‑roaming cats and the risk of toxoplasmosis to marine mammals. Other testifiers urged exemptions for exhibitors and breed‑ambassador arrangements where owners must keep animals intact for contractual reasons during a limited period.

Senators discussed alternatives including a simple declaration for intact animals (rather than a breeder registry), shifting recordkeeping from the state department to county animal control, and narrowing exemptions. The committee adopted a recommendation to pass SB3012 with amendments reflecting Hawaiian Humane Society proposals to track intact imports without re‑regulating breeders and to shift recordkeeping to county animal-control partners for implementation details.