Community Meeting on Donkeys a Great Success!

The Donkey Round Table at the WVA Conference room was well attended. We ran out of chairs! On a Saturday night! I'll count chairs to see how many were in attendance, and add 15.

The audience represented every view point about donkeys I can imagine exists. That was a very good thing.

A large number of homeowners directly affected by donkeys on their properties were also involved and great participants.

I am very happy to report:

The WVA will very likely support paying for water to keep a large number of donkeys from descending into the Village while it continues its efforts to capture and re-home the ones currently around the village. They may also help defray costs of medicines used to neuter male donkeys that are re-homed, so we are not just moving the problem around. These costs are very moderate, a tiny fraction of the money the WVA had to spend on one fence to keep donkeys off the golf course. There were pros and cons expressed on this; I think most people are in agreement with this general plan.

Please mention your support for these plans to a WVA Board Member. This will help ensure a positive outcome.  You can reach the WVA Board Members by phone or by email to wvaadmin2@waikoloa.org and asking it to be forwarded to all or certain Board Members.

Dr. Brady Bergin is willing to perform services as needed on a volunteer basis, and has other vets lined up to also pitch in. The Humane Society of the United States (USHS) can also send in a team, if we need one.

Both Dr. Bergin and the HSUS are very optimistic about mid and long term plans to manage the herds at a sustainable level. Keith Dane, their National Equine Director stepped up to the plate with many ideas they will explore. HSUS have excellent contacts and resources to bring to help in the effort of humanely keep the donkey population from growing so fast. They are actively working on these very issues today, making a technical presentation at the Horse Expo in Waikoloa today, Sunday, to gain interest and support for the ideas they have.

The time will come when more will be needed of us, but nothing we can't do. Right now, just be grateful! WVA members, please let the Board know of your support.

Donkey Meeting with USHS Waikoloa Saturday Aug. 21 at 6 PM

Donkey Poster August 2010

Hawaii Horse Expo in Waikoloa August 20 - 22

The US Humane Society is bringing national equine experts to the Hawaii Horse Expo to share ideas with other Expo participants that address the high rate of grown of the donkey herds near Waikoloa. They hope to help us engage local participants in the on-going efforts to mitigate donkey problems, humanely. The expanding size of the herds is one reason donkeys still turn up on Waikoloa Road.

UXO

If you live near Waikoloa, you know UXO means unexploded ordinance. We are loaded with it. I'm sure a few donkeys have encountered it. Just wanted to note that we made contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the possibility of needing to put volunteers in an area to work with the donkey herds. (USACE is in charge of the projects to remove ordinance from the old Waikoloa Maneuver Area.) Nothing is set. Just trying to think of everything.

County Considering "Strieter-Lites" for Waikoloa Road

A civil engineer from the County Traffic Division came out and, with MWN memebers, took a look at an area around the S curve that might serve as a test for something called Strieter-Lites. For now they have ordered just a few to "take a look at" and then determine if a test will be set up. These devices go along the roadside and are triggered by headlights to emit a pattern of red light that appears to be moving, that only the animals will see, not drivers. Whether or not it will work for donkeys is unknown. In some places, it has worked for moose, elk, and deer. Donkeys do become used to lighting as a deterrent, so we will have to see. Also, note, they only will work at night, dawn, and dusk when people hopefully have their headlights on. And if a donkey is already on the road...

I am encouraged by this interest in something new by the County.

Meanwhile, I am going to continue to ask about the electronic warning signs for us humans. So far all I've heard is unofficial and along the lines of "they are all broken."

Site Meeting with County Traffic Department

We have a meeting set up with the County for next week to inspect the area along the S curve. They are helping us look for ways to keep donkeys off the road...and make drivers more aware of donkeys.

Awaiting Word from the County Public Works re: Electronic Signage

We've been following up on the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee request to Director Warren Lee to investigate the occasional use of electronic signage to alert drivers of possible donkeys on the road. See the May 12th post for the SKTSC letter to the County.