State officials have begun talks that, with sufficiently creative and flexible thinking, should produce benefits for O'ahu residents and more productive use of a languishing public property.

The Board of Agriculture last week decided to let the Hawaiian Humane Society enter negotiations to lease a 6-acre portion of the state Animal Quarantine Station. The Halawa Valley land is underused because new state quarantine laws allow most pets to go home quickly, leaving 1,600 kennels mostly vacant.

There were other applicants, but selecting the society as the prospective tenant was the right decision: It has the potential to serve the largest sector of the community.

Humane Society officials said they're interested because the Mo'ili'ili headquarters is too small; added space would help in sheltering lost and abandoned animals in Leeward O'ahu, where many pet owners live.

Exactly what the society could do on the site will depend on the final cost and length of the lease, but prospects look good, with a community events center and a lost-and-found facility among the options. The negotiations present a welcome opportunity for the state to reclaim a public asset for many people and their beloved pets.