Posted on: Friday, December 6, 2002

Ill dog's best friend on hunger strike

By James Gonser
Advertiser Staff Writer

Barb and Bill Schnurr yesterday tried to comfort their dogs Chocolate and Mitzie. Schnurr is worried his pet of 13 years, who has cancer, will die in quarantine. Tim Wright • Special to The Advertiser

A Big Island man is now on the third day of a hunger strike and sit-in to get his dying dog released from a state quarantine facility in Kea'au.

The dog, Chocolate, has just finished 30 days in quarantine, which is required to make sure she doesn't carry the rabies virus into the state. But the 13-year-old poi dog failed a blood test and the quarantine has been extended another 90 days.

Retired Navy commander Bill Schnurr, 70, is so worried that he is willing to risk his own health to bring her home.

The problem is Chocolate, who has lymph cancer, has low antibody levels that caused her to fail the test. The state says with the low antibody count, it cannot be sure she doesn't carry rabies and is requiring Chocolate to stay a full 120 days in quarantine.

Schnurr said by then the dog will likely be dead.

"Chocolate is my best friend," Schnurr said. "I'm committed to staying here and striking until this is resolved. I'm scared. I'm not afraid of going to jail or paying a fine, but if I lose my dog ... "

Schnurr said he carefully checked all the state Department of Agriculture rules on quarantine before selling his home in Washington state and moving to the Kailua, Kona, area to make sure Chocolate and his other dog, Mitzie, complied with all the rules and would be released after 30 days. The dogs are being held at the Bar King Dog Kennels.

"All the checking, and basically I was lied to," Schnurr said.

The state veterinarian, Dr. James Foppoli, said that although there have been similar situations where pet owners wanted their sick animal released to be cared for at home, this is the first time that anyone has gone on a hunger and sit-in strike to further the cause.

"This is not a discretionary program," Foppoli said. "The quarantine requirements are fairly rigorous, and nothing allows for a discretionary decision about quarantine.

"I don't know what is going to happen or why they are taking this type of approach, but we are still working on ways this particular dog could be released but still stay within the rules. We haven't exhausted the search for something to allow this."

Many pet owners have long criticized Hawai'i quarantine laws as too restrictive. The existing rules, adopted in 1997, call for a 90-day waiting period before arrival in Hawai'i and 30 days of confinement once the animal is here. In addition, the animal must undergo two tests for rabies, at least two rabies vaccinations, with the second one given no sooner than three months after the first, and a microchip inserted for identification.

Pets that do not begin the process 90 days before arrival must remain in quarantine for 120 days. A proposal to create a five-day quarantine for certain pets brought into the state won preliminary approval last month from the state Board of Agriculture.

Schnurr has not eaten since Wednesday, and he and his wife, Barb, are sleeping in his car parked in front of the kennel. As soon as the facility opens he visits with Chocolate, leaving only when he's forced out at the end of the day.

Schnurr has been in contact with Gov. Linda Lingle's office and is hoping that she will intervene to get his dog released.

During her campaign, Lingle said the state should make a decision on whether pet quarantine is really necessary to prevent the introduction of rabies.

Foppoli confirmed that he has been in contact with the governor's office but sees no way that the rules might be bent. Foppoli does support the reduced quarantine proposal, which also would eliminate the second blood test.

"We can't say that just because we are going to change the rules we can do without the ones we have now," Foppoli said. "We still need to hold public hearings. We intend to make those changes, but have to enforce what we have now."

About 4,500 pets are brought into the state every year and quarantined, Foppoli said. About 40 to 50 pets fail the second blood test.

Schnurr said his dog has a low antibody count only because she is sick and not in danger of having or passing on rabies. He drove 180 miles round trip from his home to the kennel to visit his dogs every day during the required 30-day quarantine period.

"Everyone, every veterinarian we have talked to says there is no problem with rabies if the pet is vaccinated," Schnurr said. "There is no chance whatsoever the dog would give, get or pass on rabies. My dog has got to get out of here."

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.