Letters to the editor, Aug. 22, 2023

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A lack of compassion

It’s very hard to sleep knowing there are beloved pets in the Lahaina burn zone trapped within a wire fence that are injured and dying from starvation and lack of water.

What’s wrong with our state and county governments that they don’t understand that our pets are our ohana too?

Some people burned to death with their arms wrapped around their pets. One man burned to death in his car covering his dog with his body.

What’s wrong with our governor that he so lacks empathy and compassion for our traumatized and injured animals that he hasn’t even mentioned them? Tomorrow is day 15 that these terrified, injured and traumatized animals have been suffering.

Some people may think that the Maui Humane Society is rescuing our pets. Unfortunately, even they and other qualified catastrophe animal rescues are not being allowed in the fenced recovery area.

The government has said that recovery of fatalities will be a very long process. Our animals will have died horrific deaths by then — needlessly. There is no reason a small number of animal rescuers cannot work respectfully along side those who are recovering human fatalities.

In one of Gov. Josh Green’s last press conferences, he issued an angry and condescending diatribe against social media — he says that instead of social media, we should “trust” him. On the other hand, it is no longer even possible to leave a phone message to his office!

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen also lashed out at social media and made a dismissive speech about social media. Evidently, he and Green do not want the people to talk among ourselves. They want us to sit back and “trust” them.

What must we do to save the lives of our helpless pets trapped and dying in the fire recovery area?

Has anyone heard Green speak up for our animals? Personally, I would never trust a person who has no compassion for animals.

What can you do? Please post a comment on Gov. Green’s Facebook page and demand he allow animal rescuers in the burn area to respectfully work to save our animals!

Write him.

Contact Mayor Bissen.

Do anything you can. Time is running out.

Uldra Johnson

Volcano

Focus on prevention

If Lahaina’s building safety inspections are anything like Kona’s, then this disaster was years in the making — way before the first flame.

I worked in Kailua-Kona on Ali‘i Drive. The safety inspections on those buildings … in my opinion, those inspections are inadequate and almost a joke.

I am not a professional, so this is just my personal opinion as a person who likes to stay alive.

Prevention saves more lives more than rescues.

Linda Carroll

Keauhou