Boycott targets Kauai mall cat policy
KAPAA, Kauai » A local animal-rights organization is leading a boycott against Kauai Village Shopping Center, alleging that the manager is not cat-friendly.
Members of the Kauai-based Animal Sanctuary of the Pacific say they've been feeding between eight and 10 feral cats in the shopping center for about 2 1/2 years. They've taken the cats to the Kauai Humane Society, got them spayed or neutered, and then brought them back to the center, which houses Kauai's lone Safeway, a Longs Drug Store, a Starbucks and a number of local restaurants and health food stores.
But now Kauai Village manager Karen Klock has threatened the cat feeders with arrest, and even tried to get one of the feeders fired from his job, said Linda Pasadava, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit.
"She's being really unreasonable," said Pasadava. "The cats aren't hurting anybody."
According to Pasadava, the organization was trying to work with Klock to find a humane way to control the cat population. Instead, Klock decided to ban the group from the premises.
That's when the group decided to boycott the center.
Klock's boss, Kim Lord, vice president for CB Richard Ellis, an international firm that manages Kauai Village Shopping Center, said they were working with the Kauai Humane Society "for the health and safety of the public and for the cats."
Dr. Becky Rhoades, Humane Society director, said the cat and rat population at the shopping center appeared to be out of control.
But Pasadava claims the cats are not overfed, and help control the vermin population at the center.
Rhoades said she had met with the managers of the center and was attempting to meet with the animal sanctuary group to get the colony of cats moved to another location.
She said there are more than 10 cats, including injured animals, kittens and another set in a field behind the store. And those cats are breeding.
"Cats are an issue around the state," Rhoades said. "What we recommend is make sure they are spayed and neutered."
The Humane Society has a policy to spay and neuter any feral or free-range cat found on Kauai for a donation, but the person who brings in the cat must take responsibility for it.
Pasadava said her group is "not a bunch of crazy old ladies," but "compassionate people (who) saw the cats and saw a need."
But Rhoades said anywhere else is better for the cats than Kauai Village, with its high volume of traffic.