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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
118 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO encourage all high school health academies to develop feral cat overpopulation programs that would provide students with real-world learning experiences to better prepare them to transition out of the high-school academic experience.
WHEREAS, Hawaii continues to face an overpopulation of stray and feral cats on all islands, and the problems attributed to this cat population include public-health risks and nuisance to humans as well as unchecked reproduction with mating behaviors that can lead to excessive noise and the smell of male urine spray; and
WHEREAS, feral cat colonies also endanger the state's native bird population, and food left after public feedings of feral cats may attract other native bird predators such as rodents and mongoose; and
WHEREAS, the TNRM (trap, neuter, return, and manage) method has proven to be the most effective and most humane approach to controlling feral cat overpopulation, because this strategy addresses many community concerns regarding environmental and health effects and stabilizes feral cat colonies; and
WHEREAS, students from the Farrington High School Health Academy have been working toward increasing the health and safety of the Kalihi community by using various strategies to spread awareness about the risks of cat-transmitted diseases as well as demonstrating the TNRM method of reducing feral cat populations; and
WHEREAS, the replication of the Farrington High School Health Academy model at other public schools throughout the state as a voluntary after-school activity would provide interested students with hands-on learning experiences and help them develop skills that would be very valuable to them after they graduate from high school; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, that the Department of Education is requested to encourage all high school health academies to develop feral cat overpopulation programs that would provide students with real-world learning experiences to better prepare them to transition out of the high-school academic experience; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Director of Health, and Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Department of Education; Health Academies; Feral Cat Programs