Finding a way to care for animals

All creatures great and small deserve a chance to live. So would say those who supported a City Council bill, now shelved, to let rescuers claim animals due for euthanasia at the Hawaiian Humane Society.

But actually, nothing now prevents a no-kill shelter or animal-loving individual from checking with the society routinely and adopting the animals. Of course, they would have to pay what’s required for spaying or neutering and other expenses — and for the number of animals up for rescue, that would be an onerous cost.

Still, one of the humane society’s goals is to control animal populations through spaying and neutering. If the bill re-emerges in a reworked form, as Councilman Tom Berg said it would, the Council needs to be sure it’s not at cross-purposes with that goal. The responsibility for preventing unwanted litters belongs to whoever gives the animal a home.

‘Endangered’ good, ‘invasive’ yummy

Hawaii landowners are probably a little nervous in the wake of 20 native plants and three native insects being added to the list of federal endangered and threatened species. That’s because it could complicate any activity on those lands that requires federal action, funding or permitting, because, you know, those plants and bugs are endangered.

But meanwhile, please have at it with the various invasive species that have made their ways to the islands, such as the Samoan crab, which is plentiful in the Heeia ahupuaa and sold in various local restaurants.

As Chef Mark Noguchi of Pili Hawaii said it, "Cooking invasive species is cooking responsibly."