Came across an old article where the Hawaii Humane Society was having issues and trying to stop people from eating dogs and cats. Pets were stolen and eaten even. They came up with a bill (Senate Bill 2026) to try and address this and it was passing through fine until the Speaker Souki just never scheduled any meetings to keep it going or pass it. It was said because:

"It was learned that Speaker Souki wanted more discussion about the cultural reasons behind dog and cat meat consumption as well as evidence that dogs and cats are actually eaten."

Even though the Humane Society Director stated:

“There are numerous reports every year across the state,” said Inga Gibson, Hawaii state director of the Human Society of the United States. “It's sadly one of those issues that we know has been going on for years. It's not something you read about in the newspaper every day.”

One of those reports making headlines being a pet dog named Caddy who was stolen and eaten.

The archived State Legislature shows Gabbard was appointed as a conferee:

Senate Conferees Appointed: Hee Chair; Shimabukuro Co-Chair; Gabbard, Galuteria, Slom Members.

Hawaiian State Senate Committee Chair, Senator Clayton Hee was the person who helped introduce this bill so Gabbard's name being listed with his makes me think maybe she was in support of the bill, especially when she was raised as a Vegetarian and is now a Vegan I guess.

Gabbard should speak out about Hawaii and it's dog and cat eating problem in light of the Ohio drama to show that this stuff does indeed happen in the U.S.

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It is clear that media is pushing hard to say that cat and dog eating in Springfield Ohio isn't happening because nobody reported anything. And it's true that the video of the lady eating the cat happened in an entirely different city, still in Ohio, and is apparently from the U.S., not an illegal. HOWEVER, the whole incident with Hawaii shows that this is one of those things that even though people know this is going on it's hard to prove it's going on. The media is saying no one is eating cats and dogs in Springfield Ohio because there is no proof. As if a lack of proof is proof enough to say it's not happening. Even the Director of the HS in Hawaii said it's not something you read about in the newspaper every day. The only thing that will help change the media propaganda will unfortunately be facts, which might be hard to prove and we need to get them right and use them correctly. But Hawaii as an example might help show how hard it is to fight something like this.

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Links:

Hawaii Senate Bill 2026 : https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/archives/measure_indiv_Archives.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2026&year=2014 archived : https://archive.ph/6BoTe

IDA - Stop the Consumption of Dogs and Cats in Hawaii : https://www.idausa.org/stop-consumption-dogs-cats-hawaii/ archived : https://archive.is/k876K

Bill to Ban Dog and Cat Meat Consumption Fails in Hawaii : https://www.idausa.org/bill-ban-dog-cat-meat-consumption-fails-hawaii/ archived : https://archive.ph/yQc3o

Hawaii Moves to Ban Humans from Eating Cats and Dogs : https://www.yahoo.com/news/activists-hawaii-trying-ban-human-consumption-pets-185712284.html archived : https://archive.is/iQnqi

Pet’s owners applaud charges : https://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/01/23/news/story09.html archived : https://archive.ph/gHaUR