Most pets now
bypass quarantine

Under new rules, more than
half the animals arriving here
qualify for a shortened stay

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By Matt Sedensky
Associated Press

More than half the pets arriving in Hawaii in the first month of eased quarantine rules were released in five days or less, the state reported yesterday.

The majority of animals qualifying for the five-days-or-less program were released directly upon their arrival in the new program's first month, according to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

The relative ease many pet owners experienced since the new quarantine rules took effect June 30 came in stark contrast to a strict system that previously required all cats and dogs to be confined for at least a month.

State officials had predicted the new system would allow about half the arriving pets to enjoy shortened stays.

Gov. Linda Lingle -- whose pet cockapoo dog, Spooky, had to spend four months in quarantine when she moved to Hawaii in 1975 -- said she hoped to see more pets released soon after their arrival on the islands.

"The majority of pet owners are able to comply with the requirements of the five-day-or-less program, and we hope that as word travels, those numbers will increase," Lingle, who approved the rule changes, said in a statement. "It has been a pleasure to hear from many happy pet owners who are just thrilled that they can take their pet home directly from the airport."

According to the statistics released yesterday, 320 of the 600 pets arriving in Hawaii in the month after June 30 passed through quarantine within five days. Some 81 percent of those animals -- 260 pets -- were released directly from the airport.

Still, pet owners hoping to bring their animals into Hawaii with reduced confinement lengths must meet a number of qualifications, including two rabies vaccinations, microchip implantation for identification and blood serum test results, plus a 120-day waiting period before arrival.

Pets that do not meet the restrictions are subject to existing rules, which call for animals to be confined for 30 days if immunization and testing requirements are met or 120 days if they are not.

Hawaii's strict quarantine was imposed in 1912 to prevent rabid animals from entering the then-territory. Revised rules adopted in 1997 ordered two rabies vaccinations and a 90-day waiting period before arrival in Hawaii and at least 30 days of confinement once the animal arrived in the state.

Some 4,681 pets were brought to the islands last year. Hawaii remains the only rabies-free state in the nation.