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Gathering Places

AMY OKAMOTO

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Workers do care about
quarantined animals

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In the "Raising Cane" column by Rob Perez headlined "Quarantine horror stories raise questions of neglect" (Star-Bulletin, March 2), Chris Quackenbush is quoted as saying, "It's a frightening tale of continuous abuse (at the state animal quarantine station), ignored by the very people paid to protect us."

There have been so many negative things written about Hawaii's animal quarantine situation that I must speak out in defense of the people who work at the facility.

I speak from experience. My dog was quarantined two years ago for four months after arriving in Honolulu from Japan. I was sad about her "imprisonment" but I accepted and understood that mandatory quarantine was the law. My husband and I took turns visiting her every visiting day. Like many of the devoted pet owners, we would pull up a lounge chair inside our pet's kennel and spend a few hours keeping her company and playing with her. This gave us ample time to observe the workers.

I continue to visit the quarantine station because after my dog's release I became a volunteer, visiting animals whose owners live off-island and who are unable to visit their pets regularly. On the average, I am there for an hour and a half each time. After two years of regular attendance at the quarantine station, I continue to see caretakers who are truly caring of the animals and are diligent in their chores. I watch the caretakers interact with the animals with genuine concern. When an animal appears depressed or hurt in any way, it is reported immediately to the dispensary and the animal is observed and treated.

STAR-BULLETIN / 1996 Bandit playfully rolls over as her human companion, Catherine Petersen, brushes her tummy during a visit to the state animal quarantine station on Oahu.

If it appears that the "filthy kennels" are cleaned just before visiting hours, as stated in the article, I should point out that the kennels are not cleaned only at this time. First thing in the morning, stool is picked up and the kennels are hosed down, and throughout the day the kennels are cleaned as needed. A special effort is made to clean just before visiting hours, and why not? This is done out of consideration to the visitors who must enter the kennels.

As for the owner of the 5-year-old Weimaraner suffering from diarrhea and weight loss whose pleas to have her dog checked at an animal hospital were ignored, there must have been a misunderstanding. When I asked if my dog could be examined by my own veterinarian, I was encouraged to have it done. I simply made an appointment and my dog was transported by the state van to and from the vet's office.

I can speak only for myself. What I see and experience at the quarantine station is only positive. With the cutbacks in staffing, I only hope that the workload with the remaining staff will be manageable. We should find ways to help, not criticize.

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Amy Okamoto lives in Honolulu and volunteers much of her time at the quarantine station.