Conditions at Oahu Pet Quarantine Station (movers, live in, airport)

[moemoe]

1 - Rabies can royally screw the ecosystem here
2 - Whatever the Ag/Quarantine officials are doing appears to be working
3 - If it was just about money, as several people have pointed out, then they would let the privileged few just write a big check and walk in with their pets. That is not the case. Everyone must follow the same rules

I believe I speak for all of us on Maui when I say that we don't need more obnoxious residents. Consider for one moment that the rules don't exist to annoy you, but to serve a greater purpose.

[aha33456]

Hawaii's quarantine is a scam.

It's been going for nearly 100 years and they haven't found a single case of rabies yet. Not one.

Oh, but it generates MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of $$$.

[SkyBob]

Well, if they haven't found a single case of rabies yet it might be because the animals coming in are precious pets of human owners and and the owners have protected them from getting rabies.

That doesn't mean that Hawaii should relax the rabies quarantine and let any and all animals in without observation. The first animal that comes in that hasn't been lovingly cared for by their owners could mingle with others and on this little jewel in the Pacific rabies could spread like wildfire.

[hmh1163]

My husband had already accepted a new position on Oahu before I discovered the strict quarantine laws. I understand how critical it is for the islands to remain rabies free, but am heartsick to leave my cats behind on the mainland. I have no friends or family to care for my animals and will have to make some difficult choices. I will have to board my cats for more than three months at an unknown expense. Or I will have to give them to the local humane society for new homes. They are 9 and 14. Will they do okay in long-term boarding with strangers and then survive the long flight? If I relinquish them to the shelter will they get new homes at their ages? I respect the quarantine, but my own ignorance of these rules and the short timetable for my husband's arrival on the island have left me with difficult decisions to make. I got both of these cats years ago from the shelter. They have already suffered being left by their owners. I really don't know what's right.

[taysantanamama]

Jeez, my husband or my cat??? I guess I would pick my husband, and leave the cat with family or in your home state in care until the time is up. We did that with our dog, he stayed with family, yes, we missed him and he missed us, but the law is the law, and it is the law for a reason. We never considered one of us staying behind for our dog. Fortunatley, his shots were current, and as soon as we found out we were moving, we got online to find what we needed to do to get him here as soon as possible. We all have choices to make in life, and in your case, one of those choices was to never get your cat rabies shots, whether all it did was sit on your couch or not. If we dont want to do what needs to be done, then we need to deal with the consequences. Yours is staying on the mainland with your cat while your husband is here. I am sure there are other options, but if you can't bear life without your cat, you will be missing your husband.

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by hmh1163

I have no friends or family to care for my animals and will have to make some difficult choices. I will have to board my cats for more than three months at an unknown expense. Or I will have to give them to the local humane society for new homes.

There may be another choice. I have a friend who volunteers at the local Humane Society. He sometimes takes in kttens that the Humane Society has trouble placing. (He has a dog that "mothers" the kittens, and the photos of that are priceless!)

If you would call your local Humane Society and ask, they might put you in touch with one of their volunteers who would baby-sit your cats in a loving home while the time requirements are met.

It doesn't hurt to ask!

Hank

[flygrl]

Please don't turn your animals over to an animal shelter. If you don't take them with you, give them a chance, find them a suitable home.

[baja1313]

yes I have lived in other countries and to move to hawaii with a pet is harder then most, I understand the law and why its needed but the paper work is extreme I have accepted a job in the USVI instead of Hawaii because I didnt want to take the chance of my Fully vaccinated pet "maybe" having to be qarantied for more then a month because of a paper error.

[JuliaHuff]

our pets are like our children-we cant just leave them with strangers. they are not toys, they have feelings too. they are attached to us. I am leaving my cat with loving friends, and i am still heart broken-the last time we left whe with them for a week, she would not eat or drink, because she missed us.
hmh1163-i feel your pain, I stayed behing because we have to finish the paperwork for our cat. My husband is in Hawaii already. it is very hard, but there was no other choice.

[Sorcerer68]

I did all the prequarantine stuff and flew my pets into Kona, no prob. My dog was as manic as she could be but all animals arrived just fine.