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Animal cruelty bill Officials of the Hawaiian Humane Society hope a bill with harsher penalties for cruelty to animals and cockfighting will be heard by the House Judiciary Committee before the legislative session ends.
in tough fight
Advocates push for its passage,
but a House chairman says
the bill is poorly conceivedBy Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.comBut committee Chairman Eric Hamakawa said he does not plan to hear the bill because it is "poorly written and poorly conceived."
"It's a shotgun approach," said Hamakawa (D, South Hilo, Puna), adding the bill not only includes provisions on cockfighting, it also deals with landowners, wildlife officials and pet owners.
Senate Bill 2547, Senate Draft 1, would raise the penalty for cruelty to animals in cockfighting to a class C felony from a misdemeanor.
Humane Society officials also want to make possession or the manufacture of gaffs (small metal knives attached to the rooster's leg) and other cockfighting equipment a misdemeanor offense. The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor is a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. A class C felony carries a maximum time of five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Hamakawa said the bill needs to be improved and he is willing to sit down with Humane Society officials to address the concerns.
But the Hawaiian Humane Society wants the bill to be heard.
"We're still trying to push for it. There's so many things that can be accomplished with this bill," said Pamela Burns, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Community outreach manager Cynthia Keolanui said those involved in cockfighting "use the culture line to make it seem OK.
"The culture card doesn't play a hand in this. It's already illegal," Keolanui said.
Animal cruelty, gambling, drugs, guns and prostitution are linked to cockfighting, she added.
Forty-seven states prohibit cockfighting while three states -- Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico -- consider it legal.
Waianae resident Paul Romias believes the state government should support cockfighting.
"It's a heritage in Hawaii. It should be regulated," said Romias who raises about 400 game birds on his farm.
Regulating cockfighting would help Hawaii's economy, he said.
Romias questioned how one agency can determine that the sport of cockfighting is wrong.
"How can the few minority control the general population?" asked Romias, referring to the Hawaiian Humane Society. "They picture us as bad hoodlums which we're not. It's unfair."
Romias described cockfighting as a family affair and said his children and grandchildren help raise game birds. "It's our lifestyle," he said.
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