Proposed changes to quarantine law offered

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Dueling proposals to change Hawai'i's quarantine laws — including a community-supported plan to eliminate quarantine — will be presented July 25 to state agriculture officials who could decide to hold public hearings on the contentious issue.

But the Community Quarantine Reform Coalition of Hawai'i wants to eliminate confinement entirely.

Both proposals — the five-day quarantine and the elimination of quarantine — will be go before the 10-member Board of Agriculture, which could choose either one, reject them both or propose that something else go before the public. Or it could dismiss the entire issue.

The current rules, adopted in 1997 after lengthy debate, 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.

Dogs and cats that do not meet these requirements must stay in quarantine for 120 days.

Foppoli's proposal would not replace any of these, but would instead offer an option for people who know far in advance that they are moving to Hawai'i. To qualify for the five-day program, a pet would undergo a series of vaccinations and vet-supervised monitoring 180 days before moving to the state.

That option comes in the wake of a favorable risk assessment that Foppoli initiated in January 2001. The assessment concluded that a blood test was not needed once the pet was in Hawai'i, he said.

"With vaccinations, we feel very comfortable that even if an animal is exposed, it won't get rabies," he said.

"It is not 100 percent. It's about 996 out of 1,000."

Foppoli said he thinks the board will remain open-minded about the issue.

The community coalition's proposal would eliminate the 90-day waiting period and 30-day quarantine, but retain the use of a microchip. Pets would need a rabies shot and booster no less than three months apart and not more than one year apart. A blood test would be taken after the last rabies shot.

Hawai'i officials would receive a health certificate from the pet's veterinarian at least 14 days before arrival, with all test results and health certificates sent by e-mail to prevent fraud.

Before arrival, animals must pass a blood test, with results e-mailed to Hawai'i officials by the testing lab.

At the airport, animal quarantine officials would inspect every incoming pet, check its chip to confirm its identity and release the animal to its owner if everything is in order.

Coalition spokeswoman Chris Quackenbush has been openly critical of Foppoli's proposal and the existing quarantine program. Quackenbush said the coalition proposal is backed by 35 doctors and veterinarians nationwide.

"I get probably a hundred e-mails a day from people around the world," she said. "The fact that we have so many reasoned professionals, veterinarians signing this, endorsements from people with a high degree of experience in rabies, shows it is just odd that they are trying to hard to keep this anachronistic program in place."

The Hawaiian Humane Society, which backs the coalition's plan, also supports any change that shortens animal confinement and still guards against the introduction of rabies, said spokeswoman Eve Holt.

"I think that there is going to be some sort of another change that will come about," Holt said. "I think a reduction of confinement of animals is reasonable and safe and will happen."