Success Stories: Ending pet overpopulation

Honolulu, Hawaii
When passed: 1995

What ordinance states:  The comprehensive cat protection law defines an "owner" as any person who harbors, keeps, or provides care or sustenance for a cat. It requires people to identify their cats with either a collar and tag, or a microchip.  It also requires outdoor cats to be sterilized and it stipulates that the humane society must hold stray cats who are wearing identification for at least nine days and unidentified cats for a minimum of 48 hours.

How it works: Since the ordinance has been in effect the Humane Society has microchipped 20,723 cats and distributed thousands of ID tags.  All cats adopted from the shelter are automatically microchipped and others can get their cats microchipped at the Humane Society for just $5.

Enforcement: The first full year the ordinance was in effect the Hawaiian Humane Society issued 36 citations for outside cats not being sterilized.  Of those, 33 complied with sterilization and their cases were dismissed and three were issued a penal summons.  The second year the ordinance was in effect, 1997, 22 citations were issued and of those 14 complied, two paid the $100 fine, and six received penal summons/bench warrants.

Effectiveness: Pamela Burns, president of the Hawaiian Humane Society, believes the ordinance has been very effective in its short history. "Before we passed the ordinance, we had a 1% redemption rate for cats. Just a few years later we increased that to a 4.3% redemption rate. It makes my heart sing to see those numbers climb."

Animal Statistics (for cats only)
               Stray   Surrenders   Redeemed   Adopted   Euthanized
1994        14,136    5,316        156 (1.1%)   3,047      17,975
1998        12,310    3,936        528 (4.3%)   2,432      14,042
                                                  % change