i L i n d . n e t

Kahea, the Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, has organized a demonstration at 9 a.m. this morning in front of the Department of Land and Natural Resources against the rollback of protections for the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

Suddenly the NWHI is a “sexy” place to go – millions of dollars have been raised to finance a Research Gold Rush which has descended on the NWHI in full force. Meaningful public involvement in NWHI decision-making has been blocked, violations of basic NWHI protections have been occurring, and – in the first Board meeting since Peter Young’s ouster – the package of stringent permit conditions required by the Board of all NWHI permittees was removed including the Board’s ban on bioprospecting.

Breaking news from Austin, Texas and the organization Chain Free Austin: The Austin City Council yesterday passed an ordinance making it illegal to chain or tether a dog unless the owner is present and with the animal. Austin is the latest city to make the move. Others reportedly include Tucson, Arizona; Maumelle, Arkansas; Okaloosa County, Florida; Chatham County, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; Carthage, Missouri; New Hanover County, North Carolina; Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina; Lawton, Oklahoma; Big Spring, Texas; and Electra, Texas.

Now that’s a law I can get behind. Most cases of animal neglect we see in our neighborhood involve dogs simply tethered in a yard and forgotten. The “no chains” law requires dog owners to provide a secure and humane fenced enclosure for their animals. I hope this is one movement that gets some traction here in Hawaii.

Well, Toby’s best friends moved out yesterday, and he apparently just didn’t want to say goodbye. He planted himself in a safe spot under a truck on the street that hasn’t moved for a while. From there, he could watch all the activitiy as the movers’ trucks would come and go. But when it came time to say goodbye to the twins, he refused to budge. They tried to coax him out without success. Perhaps he hoped it would keep them here, or bring them back again. Who knows. They finally each blew him a kiss and were gone.

You can, of course, click on the photo for a closer look.