I can't believe it. It passed!
Although Hawaii's Gov. Neil Abercrombie vetoed three other bills, he did sign another bill that outlaws the excessive feeding of feral birds as a public health nuisance.
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We had a problem with a neighbor who was feeding pigeons which caused those feathered friends waiting for their breakfast and lunch to roost on our roof so they could see when he came out. They pooped on our roof, on our solar panels and cars. Finally Art and another aggravated neighbor went over and talked to him and the pigeon feeding neighbor very kindly stopped feeding the birds. We still get birds who refuse to believe that the free meals have stopped. However, it's not anywhere near what it used to be.
There were other people reported in the news who were suffering much more than us. Their neighbor was feeding pigeons, doves, finches by the hundreds ruining their homes with bird poop. I felt so awful for them that I did help by providing testimony for the bill as it was going through the State House. I was surprised to get a thank you call from the woman who saw what I wrote on the online state website. She even asked me to later write another letter to make sure the bill was signed by the governor and I did.
We heard on Wednesday that the law was passed. I got a sweet e-mail from the woman who started it all that ended with, "Thank you again for your support. This bill became law because of people like you who wrote or called in to show their support for the bill."
We are very lucky to have neighbors on our street who are kind to each other and try to help. Sadly there are others who refuse to care about those around them.
For those people, I'm afraid we need laws.
Although Hawaii's Gov. Neil Abercrombie vetoed three other bills, he did sign another bill that outlaws the excessive feeding of feral birds as a public health nuisance.
.jpg)
There were other people reported in the news who were suffering much more than us. Their neighbor was feeding pigeons, doves, finches by the hundreds ruining their homes with bird poop. I felt so awful for them that I did help by providing testimony for the bill as it was going through the State House. I was surprised to get a thank you call from the woman who saw what I wrote on the online state website. She even asked me to later write another letter to make sure the bill was signed by the governor and I did.
We heard on Wednesday that the law was passed. I got a sweet e-mail from the woman who started it all that ended with, "Thank you again for your support. This bill became law because of people like you who wrote or called in to show their support for the bill."
We are very lucky to have neighbors on our street who are kind to each other and try to help. Sadly there are others who refuse to care about those around them.
For those people, I'm afraid we need laws.
getting involved in your community certainly helps!
ReplyDeleteIt was mostly because of my neighbors that I stopped feeding the birds. They complained about the hulls and seeds that were everywhere and yes, the bird poop on the sidewalks under the trees. We never had big birds like pigeons, but given enough chickadees and sparrows, you have the same thing happen. However, the seagulls seems to target my car every time they fly over it! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh my, I feed the birds too but I don't think we have the issues that you have been facing. The pigeons around her mainly hang by the overpasses on the highways. I only get cardinals, finches, black capped chickadees and woodpeckers.
ReplyDeleteI see how bad of a situation it can turn with all those solar panels
ReplyDeleteWe have a hummingbird feeder and a finch feeder, but we took down the feeders for larger birds. It was getting out of hand with all the birds lined up on the deck railing. They were fun to watch, not fun to clean up after every day.
ReplyDeleteBTW--I bought my first whole pineapple and will cut into it today.
Oh that is so cool... the pineapple I mean. I hope it's a sweet one.
DeleteKudos to you for helping to get a difficult problem solved. I wonder how difficult it will be to enforce the new law.
ReplyDeletewe have a problem in our area with too many geese.
ReplyDeleteThere's probably never a good reason to feed birds. They got along without us before they knew us, etc. We're told all bird seed does more harm than good, with some silly fungus. Then the bird seed attracts larger animals. It's all no-win; we now just have bird houses.
ReplyDeletePS--Good job!
DeleteGood onya, Kay!! How encouraging to see that We the People can actually change and improve things and get laws passed.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteMy rural Texas sister-in-law thought it was "cute" that a wild female peacock (called a pea hen) came to roost on their back porch. It made really cute poop messes on the porch, which they hosed down daily. After it almost killed their dogs, she finally stopped feeding it and called for a bird sanctuary to take it away! DrumMajor
Many people do not realize how much they interfere by feeding wild animals. My neighbor puts out corn for the squirrels and they are becoming a real nuisance as they breed like rats and mice! I do not feed birds through the summer months as I want them to eat the natural foods and I worry about disease on the feeders. Hawaii has a problem with the wild chickens from the hurricane years ago, I noticed. My husband went to school with Mr. Abercrombie many years ago and we would never have predicted he would be a governor! He was sort of a hippie when hubby new him way back when.
ReplyDeleteThat's right! He was a hippie activist, wasn't he? When we lived on the mainland we did feed the birds during the winter months. In Hawaii, we have perpetual summer and lots of food out there in the natural environment. Pigeons are not indigenous to Hawaii and a lot of these birds including the mynahs and finches over run the native birds.
DeleteI think of all the weed seeds and insects birds don't eat because we kind hearted souls provide all their needs. I feed when snow is on the ground but no other time except for the hummers that I do feed in the summer. I feel we do more harm with our good intentions.
ReplyDeleteNice job of activism.
Again, last sentence is the bottomline and clincher. Sometimes out of ignorance we cannot comprehend the consequences, but often it is not caring about the other person.
ReplyDeleteL...w
Great work, citizens!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° >
Yes, that's exactly why we have laws. While some feel there are too many regulations, each one was instituted because of a need, because self monitoring didn't work.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Some people think that laws are for other people.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and a big pat on the back. I love the birds and squirrels but have stopped feeding them in the summer months when food is plentiful. Just goes to show that one person can make a difference when getting a law passed.
ReplyDeleteThis hits home, Kay.
ReplyDeleteWe live in the 'Back off Government' capital of Ontario.
We need laws. People just don't get it. Good for you.