radek2166
02-22-2005, 05:58 AM
HONOLULU - A state legislator is pushing a bill that would ban the slaughter of dogs and cats for food, drawing protests from members of some Asian ethnic groups who believe the measure is aimed at unfounded and racist stereotypes of their cultures.
Animal rights groups pushed for the bill's introduction this month, even though joint investigations last year by the Hawaiian Humane Society and Animal Crimestoppers yielded no proof that anyone uses the pets as food.
State Rep. Glenn Wakai, who introduced the measure, said it is aimed at stemming the growth of a "cottage industry" with the potential to threaten public health. He said news reports last August about dogs being stolen and butchered in some Oahu neighborhoods proves there's a problem.
Eating dog meat is tolerated in some Asian cultures, but many families from Asia settled in Hawaii generations ago and now consider the practice repugnant.
The measure was scheduled for a vote in the House this week, but the state Senate has not scheduled a hearing, Wakai said. It would make it a felony to kill, purchase or distribute any dog or cat for human consumption.
The news reports he cited were based largely on tips from Carroll Cox, president of the local environmental activist group Envirowatch, who said his own undercover investigation found evidence of the practice on Oahu.
But investigations of two of those tips came up empty, said Letha DeCaires, a Honolulu police detective and a coordinator for Animal Crimestoppers, part of the local nonprofit Crimestoppers program.
"Either the Humane Society or the police department followed through with every tip that we had," DeCaires said. "There was no evidence of slaughterhouse equipment, butchering tools, or anything to substantiate such claims at the time we visited the locations."
Cox claims the Humane Society mishandled the cases and blew his cover by alerting the media to his investigation.
"It is commonplace in Hawaii. It's a practice that has been known, noted and documented and no one has touched it because it's a cultural issue," Cox said.
State Rep. Alex Sonson says the proposed measure is a reaction to hearsay and would harm the image of Filipinos, Koreans and other Asian ethnic groups who make up the majority of the state's population.
"It perpetuates this myth that every Filipino is eating it," Sonson said. "But they're not."
Frank Wu, dean of Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, believes the issue of eating dog is stressed "to caricature and condemn particular populations," namely Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese and other Asians. Wu wrote about dog-eating in his book "Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White."
Wakai said race is irrelevant to his proposed legislation.
"There's no language in the bill that distinguishes certain ethnic groups or cultures of partaking in this type of practice," Wakai said.
Rather, it is aimed at protecting pets or companion animals, said Jodi Buckman, director of animal protection services for the Denver-based American Humane Association.
"I cannot imagine this issue arising with the intent of racial and cultural bias," Buckman said.
The slaughter and sale of dogs, cats or other animals considered companions is prohibited only in California, Delaware, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey and New York.
Honolulu resident Kim Soiti, who has a dog and two cats, thinks Wakai's bill should be passed even if there is no evidence that anyone in the state is consuming dog or cat meat.
"Cats and dogs are great companions. They're not stupid. They have emotions," said Soiti. "Dogs and cats are generally household pets and are like part of the family."
Animal rights groups pushed for the bill's introduction this month, even though joint investigations last year by the Hawaiian Humane Society and Animal Crimestoppers yielded no proof that anyone uses the pets as food.
State Rep. Glenn Wakai, who introduced the measure, said it is aimed at stemming the growth of a "cottage industry" with the potential to threaten public health. He said news reports last August about dogs being stolen and butchered in some Oahu neighborhoods proves there's a problem.
Eating dog meat is tolerated in some Asian cultures, but many families from Asia settled in Hawaii generations ago and now consider the practice repugnant.
The measure was scheduled for a vote in the House this week, but the state Senate has not scheduled a hearing, Wakai said. It would make it a felony to kill, purchase or distribute any dog or cat for human consumption.
The news reports he cited were based largely on tips from Carroll Cox, president of the local environmental activist group Envirowatch, who said his own undercover investigation found evidence of the practice on Oahu.
But investigations of two of those tips came up empty, said Letha DeCaires, a Honolulu police detective and a coordinator for Animal Crimestoppers, part of the local nonprofit Crimestoppers program.
"Either the Humane Society or the police department followed through with every tip that we had," DeCaires said. "There was no evidence of slaughterhouse equipment, butchering tools, or anything to substantiate such claims at the time we visited the locations."
Cox claims the Humane Society mishandled the cases and blew his cover by alerting the media to his investigation.
"It is commonplace in Hawaii. It's a practice that has been known, noted and documented and no one has touched it because it's a cultural issue," Cox said.
State Rep. Alex Sonson says the proposed measure is a reaction to hearsay and would harm the image of Filipinos, Koreans and other Asian ethnic groups who make up the majority of the state's population.
"It perpetuates this myth that every Filipino is eating it," Sonson said. "But they're not."
Frank Wu, dean of Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, believes the issue of eating dog is stressed "to caricature and condemn particular populations," namely Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese and other Asians. Wu wrote about dog-eating in his book "Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White."
Wakai said race is irrelevant to his proposed legislation.
"There's no language in the bill that distinguishes certain ethnic groups or cultures of partaking in this type of practice," Wakai said.
Rather, it is aimed at protecting pets or companion animals, said Jodi Buckman, director of animal protection services for the Denver-based American Humane Association.
"I cannot imagine this issue arising with the intent of racial and cultural bias," Buckman said.
The slaughter and sale of dogs, cats or other animals considered companions is prohibited only in California, Delaware, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey and New York.
Honolulu resident Kim Soiti, who has a dog and two cats, thinks Wakai's bill should be passed even if there is no evidence that anyone in the state is consuming dog or cat meat.
"Cats and dogs are great companions. They're not stupid. They have emotions," said Soiti. "Dogs and cats are generally household pets and are like part of the family."