Shorter quarantine State agriculture officials say it will take at least several more months to implement a much-anticipated five-day animal quarantine option that continues its journey through the state bureaucracy.
months away
A bill would create a five-day period,
down from the current
120- and 30-day waitsBy Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com"If we were to get approval tomorrow, for example, it may take three months," state Veterinarian James Foppoli told the House Agriculture Committee yesterday. "That's the kind of time frame we're talking about. But I don't know when this approval is going to come."
The amendment, which was preliminarily approved last September by the state Board of Agriculture, now awaits a nod for public hearings from Gov. Linda Lingle.
Once the hearings are held following a 30-day notice period, the plan goes back to the board and, if accepted, to the governor for her signature.
Committee members told Foppoli and other agriculture officials yesterday they continue to receive "tons of e-mail" from people who want to know when the new option will take effect.
As approved last Sept. 26, the change would establish a five-day quarantine program that includes a 120-day pre-arrival wait period.
The plan would be an alternative to the 120-day and 30-day quarantine programs available for people who bring dogs and cats to Hawaii.
About 4,600 animals went through quarantine last year, an increase by 400 from 2001.
Quarantine for animals arriving here began in 1912, when rabies became endemic in California. State officials feared cats and dogs imported from that state could transmit the disease in Hawaii.
The 30-day quarantine program was added in 1997. Even so, pet owners, animal rights groups, the military and a few state legislators have called for a more humane quarantine law -- or even its abolishment -- citing advances in science that can prevent a rabies outbreak here.
Agriculture Board Chairwoman Sandra Lee Kunimoto said human health is foremost for the department, but she understands the interest in the quarantine rules.
"This issue is very important to the administration and the department, and we do continue look at the science-based studies for this," she said.
Foppoli said there is a possibility the five-day quarantine may be lowered if this verification process proves to take less than the five days, he said.
That is good news to House Agriculture Chairman Felipe "Jun" Abinsay Jr. (D, Kalihi-Kapalama), who wants to see that five-day requirement dropped to a weekend stay in quarantine.
The cost of quarantine is also an issue. The fee per animal for the 120-day program is $1,080, while the 30-day program, which mandates specific requirements be met before and after arriving here, is $655. Other fees are charged and discounts offered to certain parties, such as the military.
Foppoli explained there will not be a correlating drop in quarantine fees if the five-day program is approved because there are static costs to operate the quarantine program, such as utilities and clerical work.
He said the plan may allow for fewer caretaker positions, but for now, even that is hard to predict. The quarantine program is operating on a $2.9 million budget in 2002-03 and may save between $300,000 and $400,000 under a new financial plan that includes a five-day program, he said.
Foppoli is seeking a $3 million budget in fiscal year 2004 and in 2005. Bills have been introduced this session to eliminate the state quarantine law in lieu of another way to prevent rabies here.
Animal Quarantine information