[CPEO-MEF] Military policy on Strays Criticized

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Military policy on strays criticized

Critics say the practice of catching and killing animals is inhumane 
By Mary Vorsino
mvorsino@starbulletin.com

More than 400 stray cats and dogs have been removed from military bases 
on Oahu and handed over to the Hawaiian Humane Society since June 30 
last year under a practice criticized by animal rights activists.

The Humane Society does not track how many of the military's stray 
animals were adopted and how many were euthanized, but spokeswoman Eve 
Holt said stray animals are usually euthanized immediately if they are 
sick or overly aggressive.

The Citizens for Humane Animal Policies, a local feral-animal advocacy 
group, is criticizing a Navy policy to trap and send to the Humane 
Society feral animals from bases while prohibiting feral-animal feeding.

Navy spokeswoman Agnes Tauyan said the policy clarifies early Navy 
regulations to control the population of feral animals on Navy property. 
"Free-roaming cats and dogs on Navy property pose a potential public 
health threat to Navy personnel and are a threat to wildlife including 
endangered species and migratory birds," she said.

Tauyan said the Navy has a contract with the Department of 
Agriculture-Wildlife Services to remove the feral animals on bases and 
"protect the threatened and endangered species and migratory birds 
within Navy refuges and housing areas."

"The USDA-WS humanely traps the animals and transports them to the 
Hawaiian Humane Society," she said.

This article can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://starbulletin.com/2002/06/03/news/story3.html

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