LIHUE — Kauai Humane Society officers responded to the address of an alleged dog abuser 26 times prior to the December visit that resulted in the arrest of a Kapaa man for animal cruelty, the agency said.
The visits stemmed from various horse and dog complaints KHS received concerning the Waipouli Road property in the Wailua Homesteads.
Citations weren’t issued and nobody was arrested in the 26 visits leading up to the Dec. 10 trip where officers found one dead and several emaciated dogs on the property and arrested Russell Soares, 35.
“We like to work with people to fix the problem rather than just cite them,” said Mana Brown, KHS officer who responded to the recent dog abuse complaint that resulted in the arrest. “We try and have them correct the situation, and normally they do.”
The 26 prior complaints go back to 2011. Fourteen were for horses being tied up on the property, Brown said, but county code doesn’t prohibit horse owners from tying up livestock. Eight of the calls were for unleashed dogs. Unleashed dog cases can be difficult to prove because if an owner doesn’t claim the dog and it’s untagged and not microchipped, the case lacks proof. The property is family owned and responses to the address dealt with different people who have lived there, they are not all for one person, he said. Other calls included dog neglect where the dogs’ quarters were in disrepair, but the owners fixed the problems once officers were on scene.
Two reportedly stolen dogs were discovered on the property as well, and they were returned to their owners. “It’s really difficult because everything needs to be perfect,” said Brown of issuing citations for alleged offenses. “Unfortunately, some of the time it takes a dog dying for us to be able to do something.”
On Dec. 10, officers removed eight emaciated dogs, one of which deceased, from the property. It was KHS’s 27th report to the property since 2011.
Soares is facing two misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals. His arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22. Each charge is punishable by up to one year in jail and $2,000 in fines.
Soares’ mother, Marcia Jimenez, told The Garden Island during a previous interview that the dogs went missing for more than a week on a hunting excursion. The family began feeding the dogs after they returned, having spent roughly 10 days in the jungle. Waipouli Road neighbors told the newspaper on condition of anonymity that the animals were a constant source of complaints around the neighborhood, but Jimenez denied that, and said the family would try and get the dogs back after the court case is settled.
“We’re not cruel to animals, I don’t care what they said,” she told TGI. “I love animals.”
The Kauai Police Department did not respond to the address for animal-related calls during that three-year span, according to Sarah Blane, county spokeswoman.
Brown said that the dogs, three of which were puppies, have recovered well and are at KHS until the issue is settled.
