Honolulu police, supported by the Hawaiian Humane Society, have confiscated dozens of dogs in recent weeks from homeless encampments along the Wai'anae Coast as part of a beefed-up effort to enforce city park laws.

Homeless tent dwellers, who value their dogs as companions and protectors, contend the dog sweeps are unfair and place a hardship on people who are struggling to get by. But police say the dog sweep campaign, which began in early January, is in response to complaints from the community about dog attacks, unsanitary conditions caused by the animals, and the growing population of beach dogs.

HPD's Maj. Michael Moses said the dog sweeps are part of a stepped-up effort to enforce rules governing city parks along the Wai'anae Coast, such as park closure hours, no-drinking laws and parking lot restrictions.

Included in the statutes is one that states, "It is unlawful for any person to permit any animal to enter and remain within the confines of any public park."

"We're responding to community concerns about the increasing dog population in our parks," said Moses. "There is the issue of loose dogs, and some people have been attacked. Some say they've been bitten. And, of course, others are concerned about the health aspects — dog feces, and fleas and all that stuff."

For those whose dogs are taken, it can be a traumatic event.

Shina Gomes, of Wai'anae's Sewers Beach, returned to her tent on Jan. 16 to find that her dogs had been confiscated while Gomes was away baby-sitting for friends.

"I was very upset," she said. "I cried. It was like someone had kidnapped my kids."

HPD Officer Michael Kahikina, community policing officer for the Wai'anae Coast, said his team, working with the Hawaiian Humane Society, has swept more than three dozen dogs from the beaches since the campaign began.

Kahikina said the law provides for people to walk their registered dogs in a park. But once a dog is chained to a stake or is otherwise restricted to park grounds, it is in violation of the law.

"That's a no-no," said Kahikina. "Once we see the dogs, we take them. The law for the city parks is that any animal cannot remain on park grounds."

Gina Baurile, community relations coordinator for the Hawaiian Humane Society, said a society security officer accompanies police on dog sweeps. She said the Humane Society's role is supportive only and the organization does not schedule any sweeps. Unregistered dogs will be confiscated, but the society does not take registered dogs as a matter of policy.

"We don't want to separate an animal from its owner," she said.

The exception is a registered dog that appears to be lost or abandoned, which the society will take. Owners of dogs with collars, ID tags or micro chips have nine days to claim their pets before the animals are made available for adoption. Unregistered strays are kept for 48 hours before they are put up for adoption, she said.

Naturally, anyone who has cared for or kept an unidentified dog is free to claim such an animal, said Baurile — provided the person is willing to pay the $60 adoption fee, which includes registration and tags.

That's what tent dweller Gomes did after her year-old poi dogs, Bear and Mink, were confiscated by police while Gomes was away.

Gomes said she was stunned that police had unleashed the dogs and taken them.

"I came back to find out my dogs were gone," said Gomes. " ... I went down to the Humane Society and got them out. I had to borrow from my auntie to have them registered and all that. I don't have the money. And then the police came back a week later to take them again.

"I said, 'Wait a minute — you can't take my dogs. They're legal. They've got tags.' And he said this doesn't have anything to do with that."

Police issued a citation to Gomes for violating the parks dog rule, but left without taking her pets.

"The dogs are our protection against thieves," said Annie Pau, who locked herself and her two dogs, Baboo and Hey You, in her car and refused to leave when police attempted to confiscate the animals the same day they ticketed Gomes.

Pau's husband, John, stood near the couple's tent and watched the encounter.

"The officer said, 'Either I take your dogs or I'm going to take your husband.' And I said, 'Then take my husband. I hope you've got a cage big enough for him.' "

Cooler heads prevailed and police left without the dogs or John Pau.

Still, Kahikina said the dog sweeps will continue. And to make that point clear, he said police are even reminding beach dwellers when it's going to happen.

"The bottom line is the dogs cannot stay," said Kahikina. "And although we don't need to, we've been letting the people in the parks know that, hey, come Wednesday, at around 11 a.m., we're coming in.

"We're giving them a heads up."

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.