This study was conducted by two animal control/humane professional consultants. The members of this team have extensive training and experience in the animal control and humane field.

The NACA Study Team would like to thank Grayson Hashida and the entire staff at the Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS) for their cooperation and kindness. A special thanks to Rory Flynn, Office of the Legislative Auditor, for the information he provided the Study Team.

While NACA has recommended several changes for improving the structure and productivity of HIHS, the County of Hawaii government, community leaders and officials should recognize the importance of an Animal Control program to the citizens and animals they serve.

It should be noted that these recommendations are advisory in nature and are based on the observations and fact-finding of the Study Team. The final determination regarding the implementation of this plan, or parts thereof, should be left to the HIHS staff and the governing authorities.

HIHS was not able to provide the Study Team with all the data required to provide a detailed, comparative analysis. However, most of the data that was obtained was presented in a format universally used in the animal control/humane field.

The HIHS staff provided most of the data utilized in this study. The staff was very accessible to the Study Team and accommodated requests in a timely manner. After the initial written requests for information, all further needs were conveyed verbally or in writing to management.

The need for an updated policy/procedure manual is a shortcoming the agency will need to immediately address. The current manual was described as "outdated" and has limited use by workers as a point of reference. The lack of some information also made it difficult for the Study Team to distinguish current procedures from written policies. It should be noted that HIHS is presently developing a new policy and procedure manual which will be reviewed internally by all HIHS staff members and released this year. In addition, the lack of Animal Control tracking data (specifically service calls) made it impossible for the Study Team to determine specific needs within Field Operations. There is no evidence that the data obtained by the Study Team was edited or tampered with in any manner.

The purpose of this evaluation is to review the programs and operating policies and procedures of the Hawaii Island Humane Society and report on the effectiveness of the agency’s program results, the efficiency of its operations, and the adequacy of its operating policies and procedures. The study requirements regarding this review may be found within the "Request for Proposals for a Professional Independent Evaluation of the Animal Control Program of the County of Hawaii" (due to space considerations, this information is not included in this report).

This needs assessment was managed in seven distinct phases:

• Data Collection.
• Interviews.
• On-site observations and fact-finding.
• Analysis of data.
• Comparative analysis.
• Alternatives and recommendations.
• Comprehensive written report.

During the on-site visit, the Study Team met with representatives of the organization. These individuals were asked specific questions based on the information provided on-site and in advance of the team’s arrival. HIHS staff members identified problems and unique circumstances affecting their agency, as well as distinguishing their goals and objectives, focusing on immediate needs and long-term goals. The Study Team also contacted representatives from local organizations and the community in an attempt to determine the levels of support available for the agency to meet the citizen’s demands for service.

The National Animal Control Association utilized 38 pages of workplans during the course of this study, which consisted of 409 questions and/or data gathering requirements covering 28 specific program areas. These areas include:

• Preliminary Meeting
• Organization/Staffing
• Quality of Personnel
• Structure
• Facilities
• Work Schedules
• Communications
• Records Management
• Human Resource Management
• Mission of the Department
• Community Relations
• Department Budget
• Equipment
• Computer Support
• Training Programs
• Policies and Procedures
• Employee Morale & Productivity
• Vehicles
• Uniforms
• Enforcement Procedures
• Courtroom Procedures
• Educational Material/Programs
• Interagency Relations
• Euthanasia Methods/Procedures
• Adoption Methods/Procedures
• Impound Methods/Procedures
• Occupational Safety Procedures
• Licensing Programs

These workplans incorporate standards from the following nationally-recognized humane animal organizations:

• American Humane Association
• Animal Protection Institute
• The Humane Society of the United States
• National Animal Control Association

Within some areas of the agency, standards have not yet been developed by any of the listed organizations. In these instances, NACA utilized "current industry trends" based on previous NACA evaluations and statistical data generated from other Animal Control/Care agencies located across the United States.

The final report includes recommendations based on the Study Team’s findings. These recommendations are also assigned a "priority" classification listed as follows:

• Rating #1 - An immediate need.
• Rating #2 - Should be implemented within 3-6 months.
• Rating #3 - Should be implemented within 6-12 months.

Once a decision is made on which recommendations to implement, the County of Hawaii should require progress reports from HIHS. The Executive Director might want to require monthly progress reports from his staff. The County of Hawaii should also require a follow-up review of the recommendations within six months.

Since some of the information included in this study was obtained verbally from current employees, the National Animal Control Association and its consultants do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of these statements or events described within this report. Verifiable data, in some instances, was not made available to the Study Team. Recollections of historical events, which may be mentioned in this report, are provided by staff members. The Study Team has attempted to gather accurate data in determining the needs of the agency, however, as with all humans, errors sometimes do occur.

The following definitions and acronyms are used in this report:

AHA - The American Humane Association.

Animal Control/Care - A term used by NACA to encompass any organization involved in animal protection and welfare, to include government animal control departments, humane societies, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, etc. When used in this report, "Animal Control/Care work" or "Animal Control work" describes the industry as a whole and practices commonly found in this profession.

Animal Control Officer - A term used to describe field officers of the Hawaii Island Humane Society. These employees may be defined within the industry as Animal Control Officers or Humane Officers.

Animal Shelter - The Hawaii Island Humane Society’s animal sheltering facilities.

AVMA - American Veterinary Medical Association.

FSDV - Field Service Delivery Vehicle. A term used by NACA to describe vehicles, utilized in Animal Control work, for delivering field service to citizens.

HSUS - The Humane Society of the United States.

Humane Officer - A term used to describe field officers of the Hawaii Island Humane Society. These employees may be defined within the industry as Animal Control Officers or Humane Officers.

ICMA - International City/County Manager’s Association.

MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheets.

NACA - The National Animal Control Association.

SOP - Standard Operating Procedures.

The employees of HIHS are striving to provide an acceptable level of service to the citizens they serve. Insufficient staffing levels and funding-related problems have affected productivity and performance. Complaints from citizens and increased demands for service has created some negative public perceptions of HIHS. Since some of these protests are reasonable, many citizens (and employees alike) are left wondering about the degree of commitment HIHS and County government has for their program.

The Hawaii Island Humane Society provides shelter and field services to the citizens of Hawaii County. HIHS operates its own animal holding facility in Keaau, a leased facility in Waimea, and a County-owned facility in Kailua-Kona. The Hawaii Island Humane Society is a nonprofit Hawaii corporation, which operates under the guidance of a 12-member Board of Directors. HIHS has over 3,000 members who contribute labor and/or financial support.

The agency currently has authorized 19 full-time positions and 3 part-time positions for fiscal year 2000-2001 (these numbers are based on data given to the Study Team). The Executive Director, Grayson Hashida, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of HIHS.

The review of Administration indicates that:

• HIHS should develop a long-range plan that hinges on future expansion and increased service delivery. Every member of the organization should be allowed to participate in the plan’s development. Staff members should be provided training in plan development.

• The agency should review and revise its policy/procedure manual as soon as possible. This book should then be distributed to all personnel, and employees should be required to "sign off" upon receiving the manual. Policies and procedures should be offered in individual sections to facilitate quick reference and for easy updating. Sample copies of forms, along with an explanation in their use, should also be included. Implementation and revision dates should be predominately displayed. Employees safety issues should be addressed within each procedure.

• It is recommended that the HIHS improve the budget process by actually describing contract versus non-contractual services within the budget itself. Such an improvement would possibly eliminate much of the confusion regarding the public’s service expectations. In previous NACA evaluations, budgeted amounts are actually identified with a specific service (i.e.: field, shelter and administration). In addition, the Study Team would recommend that the budget separately reflect the cost of operating each of the 3 shelters. Such information would provide citizens a more accurate assessment regarding the distribution of their tax dollars.

• The County of Hawaii should continue to clarify and enhance the Agreement, to include those suggestions which appear on pages 2-16 and 2-17 of Chapter 2, "Administration."

• In regards to "Rule 19" and the Badging Process, the County of Hawaii should: 1) Identify an individual (and department) which would be responsible for scheduling the badging classes and to coordinate such arrangements with the other departments; 2) Offer such classes at least twice annually during predetermined months of each year; 3) Develop a training outline defining course goals, accompanied with training materials that the recruit may retain for future reference. In addition, a list of instructors should be developed to enable the County to draw upon a larger pool of trainers in an effort to alleviate concerns regarding staff shortages and scheduling conflicts.

Within the HIHS, Humane Officers are dispatched via their own communication service. The agency is striving to provide quantitative and qualitative dispatch services to the citizens within the coverage areas. The system and procedures for Animal Control work place unique demands on them, which require a certain degree of knowledge and patience on the part of the telecommunication staff.

After further analysis, the Study Team felt that the agency could further improve in this area by:

• HIHS should consider offering a central, island-wide communications center. Such a center would handle (and route) incoming citizen inquiries among the three facilities, dispatch complaints to officers in the field, and monitor all field activity.

• The agency should purchase a software program in an effort to capture vital data regarding response times and workload. This software should also provide knowledge of prior animal-related complaints/offenses and perform address and name queries. All service calls should be assigned a case number. In addition, dispatch, arrival and clearance times should be logged for each individual service call.

• Portable radios should be purchase and issued to all field personnel and their use made mandatory.

• Field personnel should communicate their location with dispatch (at all times) on any call or follow-up, regardless of the nature.

Within this work area, the Study Team was provided an opportunity to observe the impoundment, adoption and redemption process, sanitation and disease control, animal feeding schedules, euthanasia and shelter safety procedures. As a direct result of these observations, the Study Team has offered several recommendations to include:

• The County of Hawaii should explore the possibility of expanding and renovating its current animal sheltering facility in Kailua-Kona within the very near future.

• HIHS should proceed with plans to expand and improve the Waimea animal sheltering facility as soon as possible.

• HIHS should ensure that all kennels are separated by a solid partition of either steel or concrete, both inside and out. Such partitions must be a minimum of 4 feet in height, with an additional 2 feet of fencing on top of the wall.

• The agency should purchase an animal tracking software program which would capture vital data regarding impounded and reclaimed/adopted animals. This software should also provide knowledge of prior offenses and name queries. Computer and printer upgrades should be offered in all work areas. Additional computer training should be offered to those employees who require it. Workers should be trained in computer usage and software.

• HIHS should develop uniform animal tracking procedures for all 3 shelters. The Study Team observed varying tracking methods among the facilities (ie: the Keaau facility placed numbered metal identification tags on incoming dogs, while the Kailua-Kona and Waimea shelters did not). Tracking methods should always be consistent and reliable to minimize errors and prevent the agency from being placed in an uncomfortable (liability) situation. In addition, the agency should perform a morning and evening "headcount" of impounded animals to reinforce inventory procedures.

• Although not legally required, HIHS should reevaluate its animal holding period for cats. The Study Team felt that the minimum holding time for cats was unusually short, and is not consistent with other Animal Control/Care agencies. In addition, the Study Team would recommend the same holding period for both dogs and cats.

The importance of an Animal Control operation to a community is paramount. Whether measured by the number of Animal Control personnel involved, the portion of budget allocated to field services, or the reality that the Animal Control Officer has over 4 times more public contacts than a police officer, the field officer is the mainstay of Animal Control work. The way in which these individuals carry out their duties affects not only the quality of life for animals, but also the citizens’ perception of Animal Control.

The Study Team spent a total of 24.75 hours observing field personnel. Through the observation of field personnel and their working conditions, an insight regarding staffing levels, shift scheduling and current beat structure was obtained. With this information, matched against current industry standards, NACA’s recommendations include:

• The agency should allocate enough field positions as to ensure the needs of citizens are met without undue delays. All calls should be answered before the end of each day. Based on the "calls for service" model, the agency should have a minimum of 14.4 officers on duty, for day-shift.

• With an increase in staffing levels, HIHS should introduce full weekend and limited evening service, and a later end time to daytime shifts.

• HIHS should phase-out all their animal containment units and replace them with a commercial model typically used in the Animal Control profession. All containment units should be fitted with temperature gauges, which may be monitored by officers within the cab of each truck. If needed, air conditioners should be installed. A strict policy or mandate should be introduced regarding animal transport in HIHS vehicles.

• Those employees that require "badging" or recertification should be offered this training as soon as possible.

• With an increase in kennel staffing levels, HIHS should discontinue the use of field personnel in the kennel and customer service areas.

An important aspect of any NACA evaluation is to review the occupational safety procedures of the agency. This analysis encompassed the field and kennel areas within HIHS.

The need for this review is to not only protect the employee from injury or harm, but to also shield the employer from issues and claims directly resulting from deficiencies within this area.

During the on-site process, the Study Team was provided occupational injury/illness statistics and general safety procedures, resulting in recommendations regarding employee safety issues. Some of these recommendations include:

• The use of protective equipment/clothing (to include safety footwear) by the agency should be mandated to guarantee employee safety and protect the HIHS from liability.
• Eye wash stations should be installed in euthanasia, vaccination and chemical dispensing areas should accidental exposure to chemicals or drugs occur.

• Although rabies is not present in Hawaii County, it is NACA’s standard recommendation that any employee that has contact with animals should be offered the rabies prophylaxis (this preventative treatment should be made mandatory).

• Decibel levels should be tested within the kennel areas to determine if unsafe conditions exist for workers. Ear plugs should be mandatory for employees.

The County of Hawaii ordinance requires that all dogs be licensed and that the license be worn at all times. A review of the "Hawaii County Code, Chapter 4: Animals" and current licensing procedures has led the Study Team to offer the following recommendations for this work area:

• Based on NACA’s policy statement, the County of Hawaii should require that all dogs and cats to be annually licensed and to require those licenses to be worn at all times. License fees should be established (at a rate consistent with the national average) in addition to offering differential fees (sexually altered versus unaltered) to encourage pet sterilization. Information regarding the actual number of licenses sold should be tracked annually by the County of Hawaii and offered in a summarized format.

• In addition to licensing, the Study Team would also recommend that the County of Hawaii and HIHS explore the possibility of requiring the control of cats. This practice is fairly common throughout the United States and would enhance current nuisance ordinance compliance.

• The County of Hawaii should explore the possibility of allowing local veterinarians to sell license tags. This procedure is fairly common throughout the United States and would enhance the current licensing program.

The Study Team conducted several interviews with HIHS personnel. During the course of these discussions, employees identified areas of strength and weakness within their organization. All of these comments (made by personnel) appear within Chapter 8, "Employee Attitude Survey." These remarks should not be perceived as "employee grumbling," but rather as meaningful, constructive criticism which may pinpoint problems and develop solutions.

As a direct result of these interviews and a review of current employee incentive programs, the Study Team has made the following recommendations:

• HIHS should develop a system for routinely collecting relevant information on employee grievances and disciplinary actions.

• The agency should institute (within its own organization) an annual awards program to recognize outstanding performance and contributions.

• HIHS should introduce an employee idea program (with possible financial incentives) to encourage new and innovative concepts in improving service delivery.

HIHS attempts to promote itself as a positive influence within the community. A lack of dedicated staffing and resources limits proactive community involvement. The agency believes that it has developed a positive relationship with the media, and that it has used this resource as a way to communicate needs and concerns to the general public. As of late, this contact has been reactive, as HIHS has had to "defend" itself against local criticism. The Study Team feels that the organization must cultivate and improve media relations by providing information relating to the positive aspects of the agency. HIHS should take a more aggressive approach to public relations and "sell" the agency to the community on a continuing basis to increase support among taxpayers and improve its level of funding.

After reviewing this area, the Study Team offers the following recommendations to include:

• An Animal Control Advisory Board should be established. The new Board should develop and implement its own goals and objectives. The Board should write its own by-laws, defining its purpose and specific goals. A "conflict of interest" statement should also be added to the Board’s by-laws. New Animal Control Advisory Board members should be provided training or instruction regarding their Board responsibilities. All roles and functions should be clearly defined.

• The County should consider reassigning the administration of the Animal Control contract to an agency that may be a more "natural fit" and possesses some knowledge of public safety and health issues, such as the Health Department or Police Department. Of course, the transfer of such responsibilities should include additional financial and administrative support, and training for those involved in this process.

• While the Study Team sympathizes with HIHS regarding the moral dilemma of adopting out animals which may be exposed to possible injury, the Study Team believes that responsible pet owners, to include pig hunters, should not be excluded from the adoption process.
• In the Study Team’s opinion, the County of Hawaii may be better served by pursuing other means of field service delivery, including abandoning the current operation and building a new field program from the ground up. It is the recommendation of the Study Team that the County of Hawaii should consider the establishment of an Animal Control enforcement division within the Hawaii County Police Department or the Health Department. Shelter services could continue to be outsourced to a local humane organization. Information regarding the proposed "takeover" of HIHS field operations may be found within Chapter 9, "Community/Interagency Relations" under "Starting an Effective Animal Control Program."

The Hawaii County Animal Code (HCAC) appears to be poorly organized and lacking in major areas such as definitions of terms and appropriate penalty levels. There are ample examples of attempts at piecemeal corrections that are reflected in the disparity between the penalty for poisoning a dog ($10 – 1980) and allowing a dog to stray more than three times ($500 or 100 hours of community service – 1995). Unfortunately these "corrections" seem to have accomplished more, rather than less, confusion. The changes also illustrate that the HCAC has sections that are over twenty years old. Animal care and control best practices have changed dramatically since 1980.

• A review of current County of Hawaii ordinances indicates a need for improvement. The new Animal Control Advisory Board, the County of Hawaii, HIHS and the community should work together to update its ordinances.