ACTION ALERT - Finance Committee - HB 1736 MUST BE AMENDED - CATS MUST BE ALLOWED TO BE RETURNED TO THEIR COLONY AFTER GETTING FIXED

FINANCE COMMITTEE HEARING - MARCH 4TH

HB 1736 creates a statewide Spay & Neuter Special Fund — a strong step toward reducing pet overpopulation in Hawaiʻi. However, the bill currently restricts counties from using funds if sterilized community cats are re-released, effectively blocking managed return programs and potentially shifting hundreds of thousands — even millions — of dollars in additional intake costs onto county animal control systems. A single intake wave of 1,000 cats could cost Hawaiʻi County between $400,000 and $1.2 million, while nearly 1,000 cats were recently sterilized in just four days through a community-supported program in East Hawaiʻi. This bill should fund solutions, not inflate shelter intake. Please read the attached article and consider submitting testimony urging legislators to support HB 1736 with amendments that preserve the funding mechanism while allowing counties flexibility to use managed return where appropriate. Thoughtful policy now prevents costly consequences later. Mahalo for engaging.

 Finance Committee meets March 4 = submit testimony prior to meeting 

HB 1736 - CLICK HERE TO STATE LEGISLATIVE WEBSITE TO POST TESTIMONY

<See testimony example below that can be used>

NOTICE:  Official communications from Hawaiʻi Animal Advocacy originate only from @hawaiianimaladvocacy.org email addresses!

📰 Opinion | Fund Solutions, Not Intake: Why HB 1736 Needs a Fiscal Amendment

By the HAA Editorial Board

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are correct to focus on pet overpopulation. Shelter crowding, limited veterinary access, and rising animal control costs affect every county. Expanding spay and neuter services is widely recognized as the most cost-effective long-term solution.

House Bill 1736 (2026) contains an important step forward: a statewide Spay and Neuter Special Fund, supported in part by a voluntary income tax check-off. Dedicated funding for sterilization services is smart policy.

But one clause in the bill risks shifting costs in the wrong direction.

The Fiscal Problem Hidden in the Language

HB 1736 conditions county use of funds on sterilized animals not being re-released into the environment.

That restriction effectively blocks the use of state funds for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and Return-to-Field programs for community cats.

If sterilized cats cannot be returned, counties are left with three practical options:

• Adoption placement

• Long-term shelter housing

• Euthanasia

Each carries significant cost.

On Hawaiʻi Island, estimated intake, holding, medical care, staffing, and disposition costs for a single cat can range roughly from $400 to $1,200 per animal, depending on length of stay and required care.

If 1,000 cats are diverted from community management into the shelter system instead, that represents a potential fiscal burden of:

• $400,000 to $1.2 million

For a single wave of intake.

That level of cost transfer would land directly on county animal control budgets.

A Real-World Example of Scale

From February 27 to March 1, 2026, PetFix Hawaiʻi Island conducted a four-day spay/neuter event covering the Puna and Hilo districts.

In that period, 989 cats were sterilized, vaccinated (FVRCP), microchipped, and ear-tipped — with paid veterinarians and substantial volunteer support.

That scale demonstrates two critical realities:

1. There is strong community commitment to responsible population management.

2. Sterilization capacity exists and can operate efficiently at high volume.

If even a fraction of those nearly 1,000 cats were required to enter the shelter system instead of returning to managed colonies, the fiscal impact would be substantial.

The economics are straightforward:

• Sterilization and managed return = lower per-cat cost, long-term decline through attrition.

• Intake and confinement = high per-cat cost, immediate budget impact.

HB 1736 was designed to reduce overpopulation costs — not amplify intake expenses.

Legislative Memory Matters

Hawaiʻi has navigated similar debates before.

In 2022, a proposal that would have enabled broad lethal control of free-roaming cats generated intense public opposition and did not advance in that form.

HB 1736 is not framed as eradication legislation. But by conditioning funding on “no re-release,” it narrows the policy landscape in ways that risk reopening that divide — while also transferring financial burdens to county systems.

The Amendment That Solves the Problem

The Legislature can preserve the good in HB 1736 while avoiding unintended consequences.

A surgical amendment should:

• Maintain the Spay and Neuter Special Fund.

• Allow counties to use funds for sterilization programs, including managed return consistent with county policy and best management practices.

• Provide flexibility to designate clearly defined wildlife-sensitive areas where alternative approaches may apply.

That keeps the focus where it belongs: reducing overpopulation efficiently and sustainably.

The Bottom Line

Public policy must align with fiscal reality.

At $400 to $1,200 per intake, shifting just 1,000 cats into shelter systems could cost up to $1.2 million. Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 cats were sterilized in four days by a community-supported program committed to long-term population stabilization.

HB 1736 contains the right funding idea. It should not unintentionally convert a cost-reduction strategy into a cost-expansion mandate.

With one thoughtful amendment, lawmakers can fund solutions — not inflate intake.

And that is a balance worth striking.

📊 HB 1736 Fiscal Impact Comparison

Intake Model vs. Managed Return Model

(Illustrative Scenario: 1,000 Community Cats)

Key Assumptions (Hawaiʻi County context)

• Estimated shelter intake & disposition cost per cat: $400 – $1,200

  • Includes: intake processing, exams, medical care, vaccinations, housing, staffing, cleaning, utilities, administrative overhead

  • Costs increase with length of stay

• High-volume sterilization event (example):

  • 989 cats sterilized in 4 days (PetFix Hawaiʻi Island, Feb 27–Mar 1)

  • Included FVRCP vaccine, microchip, ear-tip

  • Paid veterinarians + volunteers

Scenario Comparison (1,000 Cats)

Five-Year Fiscal Consideration

If intake of 1,000 cats occurs annually due to removal-only requirements:

Even at the low-end estimate, cumulative impact becomes significant.

By contrast, high-volume sterilization programs:

• Reduce future kitten intake

• Reduce repeat breeding cycles

• Lower long-term shelter burden

• Distribute workload across volunteer + nonprofit infrastructure

Operational Reality

From Feb 27–Mar 1, 989 cats were sterilized in four days in East Hawaiʻi (Puna and Hilo districts), demonstrating:

• Community commitment

• High-volume capacity

• Existing infrastructure for population stabilization

Requiring removal rather than allowing managed return would shift similar numbers directly into the shelter system, increasing costs immediately.

Fiscal Conclusion for FIN Committee

A blanket “no re-release” requirement may unintentionally:

• Increase county intake costs

• Strain shelter capacity

• Elevate euthanasia pressure

• Shift financial burden to animal control budgets

Amending HB 1736 to allow managed return where consistent with county policy preserves:

✔ The Spay & Neuter Special Fund
✔ The tax check-off revenue stream
✔ County fiscal flexibility
✔ Long-term cost containment

EXAMPLE TESTIMONY

📝 FIN-Centered Testimony

HB 1736, HD2 — Relating to Animal Control
Position: Support with Amendments (Fiscal Concerns)

Aloha Chair and Members of the Committee,

My name is < ENTER NAME >. I respectfully submit testimony in support of HB 1736’s funding mechanism, with amendments addressing fiscal and operational concerns.

The creation of a Spay and Neuter Special Fund and voluntary tax check-off is a constructive approach to reducing long-term pet overpopulation costs.

However, the provision conditioning county use of funds on sterilized animals not being re-released into the environment may unintentionally increase county expenditures.

In Hawaiʻi County, estimated intake, medical care, housing, staffing, and disposition costs for a single cat can range from approximately $400 to $1,200 per animal, depending on length of stay and medical needs.

If 1,000 community cats were diverted from managed return programs into shelter intake due to the bill’s “no re-release” restriction, the resulting fiscal impact could range from:

$400,000 to $1.2 million

for that cohort alone.

By contrast, from February 27 to March 1 of this year, PetFix Hawaiʻi Island sterilized 989 cats in four days, including vaccination, microchipping, and ear-tipping, with paid veterinarians and volunteer support. This demonstrates both capacity and community commitment to population stabilization.

Requiring removal rather than allowing managed return shifts cats from lower-cost stabilization models into higher-cost shelter systems.

I also respectfully note that in 2022, legislation enabling broad lethal control of free-roaming cats generated substantial public opposition and did not advance. HB 1736 is not framed as eradication legislation, but the “no re-release” clause risks narrowing county flexibility in a way that could reopen that policy divide.

I respectfully request an amendment that:

• Preserves the Spay and Neuter Special Fund;

• Allows counties to utilize sterilization programs, including managed return consistent with county policy and best management practices;

• Maintains flexibility for clearly designated wildlife-sensitive areas where alternative approaches may apply.

Such an amendment aligns fiscal responsibility with the bill’s stated goal of reducing overpopulation.

Mahalo for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,
< ENTER NAME >