Home that had 96 pets is cleaned, deemed OK

By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor

HA'IKU, Maui — A Department of Health inspector yesterday visited the home of a Ha'iku couple who kept 96 dogs and cats that were impounded by the Maui Humane Society.

Responding to a complaint about barking dogs and foul odors, the inspector found that the problems had been corrected, and no further action is anticipated at this time, said Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

Homeowner Jean Bermudez said yesterday she scrubbed the walls and cleaned the house after the animals were removed Jan. 4 when she called for assistance because the dogs were fighting. One of the dogs was fatally mauled by others before animal control officers arrived to transport 81 dogs and 14 cats to the Humane Society's animal shelter in Pu'unene.

All but seven of the dogs and one of the cats were euthanized because they were deemed unadoptable in light of the shelter's limited space and because some of the animals had health problems.

Bermudez said she visited the survivors yesterday at the animal shelter, and is happy to know that one of the dogs had been adopted. One other dog is available for adoption, and five others are in a holding kennel until their fate is determined.

Bermudez said she would like to get the dogs returned once they have been spayed or neutered. She said she realizes things got "little bit out of control" after she let the canines breed for a number of years.

"If they can have them fixed, I shouldn't have a problem," she said.

Bermudez said she has contacted an attorney about getting the dogs back and to prepare for possible animal cruelty charges.

The impoundment, the largest in Maui Humane Society history, has raised questions about enforcement of laws regarding barking dogs and bad smells.

Maria Bantilan, who lives across the street from the Bermudezes, said she had been filing complaints and documenting the nuisance for two years, with little results. She said the conditions were so bad that she had to keep her living room windows closed and her children could not play in the front yard.

"I couldn't believe nobody would do anything. You're up against a wall," she said.

Officials have said that because the dogs and the mess were confined indoors, there was no visible evidence of the problem from outside the house, and they could do nothing if the property owner refused them access.

"If it stinks and there are too many dogs, you should have the right to go in there and check it out," Bantilan said.

Okubo said the Health Department's vector control section investigates reports of bad smells and problems with flies and fleas. However, if a property owner refuses access, the inspector cannot force the issue, she said. Inspectors usually will return for another try and attempt to work with the owner to resolve the problem.

In the Ha'iku case, the vector-control office on Maui received Bantilan's complaint Dec. 27 and sent an inspector out to the property the next day, Okubo said. When he was unable to contact Bermudez, the inspector returned yesterday and this time was allowed to go in the house.

Okubo said there are no records of previous complaints.

"Not even. That's a crock," said Bantilan, adding that she first contacted the Health Department about a year ago.

Janet Freitas, who lives next door to Bantilan, said she complained about the noise and smell in 1996 and 1997, and contacted the Department of Health and the Maui Humane Society several times during that period.

"I gave up after that because nobody was listening. It seems like everybody just washed their hands of it," Freitas said. "Now we just go to work, come home and complain to each other about the smell and turn the TV loud."

Bantilan said police told her barking dogs were not a matter for police enforcement, although officers showed up to record her complaints.

Lt. Jon Morioka said an officer responding to a barking-dog complaint will try to talk to the owner about controlling the animal and forward the complaint to the Humane Society.

Humane Society officers came out to the neighborhood but were unable to inspect the property. A driveway gate and a couple of dogs loose in the yard prevented animal control officers from getting close enough to the Bermudez house to detect the extent of the trouble, said Animal Control Supervisor Aimee Anderson.