Please lend your support to Senate Bill 197 by emailing the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Clayton Hee, at senhee@capitol.hawaii.gov and Vice Chairwoman Sen. Maile Shimabukoro at senshimabukoro@capitol.hawaii.gov.
This bill criminalizes the killing of pets (dogs, cats, horses) for human consumption, a fundamental protection for beloved companion animals considered members of the family today. The violence in their killing is as unacceptable as it would be for humans. There is no way to ensure that their killing for consumption is humane under current law. And to prove whether their killing was humane or not becomes impossible without evidence. It is also believed that there is no such thing as humane killing of companion animals.
In the past, references to cultural or racial discrimination had confused the real issue - cruelty to animals. How can there be an argument when the killing and human consumption of these companion animals have already been outlawed in other parts of the world, including the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and China's Weixian county.
Since outlawed in these places, to say it is discrimination if people in Hawaii from these locations do it in Hawaii does not make sense. It is really a cruelty issue, not a discrimination issue.
Please urge lawmakers to hold a hearing for this bill as that is the only way to pass this law to help our beloved companion animals.
We want to hear your voice, as the animals cannot speak for themselves.
Barbara Steinberg
Kihei
