Question: Dogs in my neighborhood come and (defecate) in my yard constantly. This happens at least twice a week and usually more than one dog at a time. I am going to start making meatballs with slug bait in them. I am going to leave them in my yard on my private property. If the dogs eat them and get sick, do I get in trouble since it’s on my private property?
Answer: Yes.
Please do not poison anyone’s pet, even on your own property. It’s not right. It’s also not legal.
A spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department notes that cruelty to animals is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison, as spelled out in Hawaii Revised Statutes 711-1108.5. An offender generally commits cruelty to animals in the first degree if the person intentionally or knowingly “tortures, mutilates, or poisons or causes the torture, mutilation, or poisoning of any pet animal or equine animal resulting in serious bodily injury or death of the pet animal or equine animal; or kills or attempts to kill any pet animal belonging to another person, without first obtaining legal authority or the consent of the pet animal’s owner.”
The statute centers on the intent and awareness of the offender, not the location of the offense. The law allows that inflicting such harm may be legal if it is committed to avoid “an imminent harm or evil” by the animal, but only if the imminent threat is worse than the preventive action.
In this “choice of evils” dilemma, we can’t imagine that having to clean up after unwelcome dogs would justify enticing them to eat tainted meatballs. Metaldehyde, a common ingredient in slug bait, can be fatal to dogs even in small doses, and causes terrible, painful symptoms that require rapid veterinary intervention if the animal is to survive; untreated, death from respiratory failure can occur within a few hours of exposure, according to the journal Veterinary Medicine. Remember, too, that poisoned meatballs left in an open yard could just as easily threaten the health of children, birds and any other living things that happen upon them.
We’re sorry that your yard is regularly soiled by dogs that have thoughtless, careless owners — that is disgusting and frustrating — but please recognize that is primarily a people problem, not a canine one. Try to identify the owners and ask them to control their pets. You might also fence your yard, if possible. Or try any of the numerous commercial products — ground sprays, powders and granules — formulated to repel animals from entering treated areas without harming them; pet-supply stores should have a selection. Whatever you do, don’t poison the dogs.
Q: What is happening at Pier 15? There’s major construction going on.
A: The Piers 12 and 15 Improvements Project at Honolulu Harbor began on April 21, and is expected to be completed by May, according to the state Department of Transportation. This work will relocate Clean Islands Council and Marine Spill Response Corp. vessels from Pier 35 to Piers 12 and 15, which will consolidate marine emergency response efforts during oil spills, a DOT spokesman said. Other improvements will include a new electrical system, waterlines, dock fenders and mooring bollards along with upgraded lighting, roofing, fencing and pavement, at an estimated construction cost of $10 million, 100 percent of which will be provided by state funds. The DOT issued a news release when the project launched. For additional details, you can read it online here: 808ne.ws/1P7bytF.
Auwe
Auwe to the SUV driver who parked in a space designated as a crosswalk in the Kahala Mall parking structure. Because of your action, the space between our two cars was so narrow that I could not help my mom, who is disabled and in a wheelchair, into her usual front-passenger seat. I had difficulty getting her into the backseat of my car. — A reader
Mahalo
Mahalo to the workers of the city and county’s Wahiawa Convenience Center. I called to report that my gray refuse cart had a broken wheel and a part was missing from the cover’s hinge. The person I spoke to was courteous and helpful. Within hours of my call, someone came by to replace the broken or missing parts. I appreciate the fast and effective service. Kudos to them! — A grateful Wahiawa resident
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
