Fining those who feed feral chickens isn’t enough to address the feral animal problem. Pre-pandemic, I could control the situation in my yard by taking feral chickens and cats to the Hawaiian Humane Society for humane euthanasia. But this ceased in 2020, and in the ensuing two years, the cat and chicken populations have exploded.

Now, if I trap feral animals in my yard, I have no place to take them. The City and County needs to provide this service in some way because the reality is that humane euthanasia is the only way to reduce the feral chicken and cat populations on private property. Avian birth control won’t work because it isn’t permanent contraception. The baited feed must be consumed daily. Were I to do this, all the feral chickens in the neighborhood, plus other birds, would be congregating in my yard at feeding time — certainly not a solution.

Faye McCoy

Kalihi

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