Hunting dog owner faces fines

The owner of five hunting dogs that attacked cattle at a Princeville ranch last Thursday evening faces fines and jail time for violations of the county’s leash and dangerous dogs laws.

Kaili Olanolan, 28, of Wainiha, is required to appear in court and faces $50 – 1,000 fines, as well as 30 days jail time or six months probation for each of the five dangerous dogs citations. He may also have to pay restitution. Under the leash law, he could be fined $50-150.

At about 5:30 p.m. last Friday, Olanolan was trespassing and hunting on Princeville Ranch, according to Karen Carswell, ranch caretaker.

While hunting, five dogs started chasing a pregnant heifer and drove her to jump through a fence and onto Kuhio Highway, where oncoming vehicles swerved and nearly hit the cow.

Two pregnant cows were attacked, and one hid in the fields overnight. The one with more serious injuries had her tail bitten off and had cuts on its face and ears.

“You can’t control dogs. Dogs are unpredictable, and in this case, they didn’t differentiate between a boar and a cow,” Carswell said.

Cecil Baliaris, a Liquor Control Commission inspector, happened to be passing by and called the Kaua’i Police Department for patrol officers to control traffic.

It took about half an hour to get the cow back into the pasture, while bystanders attempted to smack the dogs with sticks to get them off the cow, Carswell said.

Upon arrival, Officers Brian Silva and Richard Drapesa from the Hanalei substation tied the dogs together with a length of rope and anchored them to a nearby fence. Kauai Humane Society Animal Control Officer Steve Lizama picked up the dogs.

“The animals in question were not dangerous to humans, but they did attack cattle,” Lizama said, with thanks to the KPD officers for containing the dogs.

“Hunters should always keep their dogs properly contained after hunting. They need to show more responsibility for their animals,” he added.

Carswell, who is the vice president of the Kauai Cattlemen’s Association, noted that her family has had many instances of hunters trespassing on the ranch. In this case, the Carswells will not pursue trespassing charges, but said that Olanolan has agreed to pay for damages to the fence and veterinary fees.

The dogs involved are named: “Big Boy,” a male hound; “Hana,” a female pit bull; “Roger,” an Airedale; and “Lady” and “Bulla,” both female hound-pit bulls.

They are being boarded at the Kauai Humane Society in Puhi while awaiting a decision from the District Court of the Fifth Circuit.

“To pig hunters, it’s a sport and they love to do it, but this is our livelihood and we can’t take the chance,” Carswell said regarding allowing hunters on their property.

Cattle ranching is already a break-even business, she added. Each year there are bound to be losses, but it’s worse “when a rancher has to take a loss because of another person’s disrespect.”

“I’m glad that law is in place, but I don’t know how they’re going to monitor it,” Carswell said.

The county’s “Dangerous Dogs” law was passed last October with stiffer penalties than the county’s leash law, which has been in effect since 1975. Leash law fines are $50-150 for a first offense, $100-200 for a second offense and $150 for any citations thereafter.

Under “Dangerous Dogs,” any enforcement officer may enter, at reasonable times, any building or premises to determine compliance.

Olanolan may be able to get his dogs back or a judge may order them to be put down. If Olanolan gets his dogs, he may be ordered to register his name and address with the Humane Society and get the dogs injected with identification microchips.

He may be ordered to keep the dogs in kennels or on leashes and in the control of a person 18 or older at all time, attend dog training and get the animals spayed or neutered.

Staff Writer Kendyce Manguchei can be reached at kmanguchei@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 252).