Deal reached to determine whereabouts of unaccounted-for dogs
By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer
The feud between a Hawai'i Kai woman and the Hawaiian Humane Society appeared to be winding down yesterday after she agreed to let the society's lawyer and an animal-control officer pay a surprise visit to her boyfriend's home in Kuli'ou'ou.
Advertiser library photo • July 29, 2003
Circuit Judge Eden Elizabeth Hifo agreed to the visit in hopes it will put to rest concerns over the whereabouts and health of four of the 14 dogs that were returned from the Humane Society to Lucy Kagan July 29.
Lucy Kagan shows off one of the 14 dogs returned to her by the Humane Society in July. The Humane Society is still trying to determine the whereabouts of four of the dogs.
The dogs that were returned to Kagan were part of a larger group of 27 dogs and two cats confiscated May 7 by the Humane Society from Kagan's Hawai'i Kai residence.
The animals were discovered after Honolulu police and firefighters responded to a small kitchen fire at the three-bedroom condo on Kawaihae Place. An animal cruelty investigation was then launched against Kagan, but to date, no charges have been brought.
Some of the animals taken from Kagan's home belonged to other people and were returned to their owners.
As a condition of having the 14 dogs returned to her, Kagan signed an agreement allowing the Hawaiian Humane Society to inspect the animals to make sure they were in good health.
Kagan told the Humane Society that she planned to move into a large home in Waimanalo, but that her would-be landlord backed out of a lease with her after Humane Society workers showed up three times in two days to inspect the property.
At that point Kagan told society officials that she had sold or given away all of the dogs that were returned to her. The Humane Society went to court in hopes that Kagan could be made to document all of the transactions.
After two hearings before Hifo last week, all but four of the dogs essentially had been accounted for. On Friday, Hifo signed a court order allowing an animal-control officer to visit the home of Kagan's boyfriend, where Kagan told Hifo she now stays on occasion, to make sure none of the dogs in question were being kept there — or if they were, to make sure they were in good health.
Humane Society attorney Janice Futa told Hifo yesterday that Humane Society workers went to Kagan's boyfriend's house during the weekend, and heard dogs barking but that no one answered the door.
Hifo reissued an inspection order and Kagan said it might be easier for all parties to go with her to the home immediately after the court hearing.
After working out the details, Futa, Kagan, an animal-control officer and a member of Hifo's staff headed for the Kuli'ou'ou home yesterday afternoon. They could not be reached yesterday to comment on the visit's results.
Reach David Waite at 525-8030 or at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.
