Ask the Mayor: Who Can Help With Rabbit Control?

Maui Invasive Species Committee.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his staff.

Mr. Mayor,

Q:  Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes 142-95 says that rabbits need to be kept off the ground. Well I have a neighbor who has rabbits and they keep escaping and ruining my wife’s vegetable garden. I keep telling him he needs to get this under control or they’re going to escape and breed and become another invasive species and he keeps saying, “yeah, yeah, no worries.” Now they’ve escaped his yard and we have baby rabbits running around our neighborhood. I’ve called the Humane Society, two state departments, the police and prosecutors and everyone says it’s not their problem. Is there anyone out there who can deal with this?

A: There is actually. The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) doesn’t just eradicate invasive species like coqui frogs, the Little Fire Ant and Miconia, they also go after more mundane creatures like rabbits. We’ve contacted MISC officials on your behalf and they said they say this is not their rabbit call so I’m sure they’ll contact you shortly if they have not already done so. For future reference if you want to report an invasive species call MISC at 573-6472.

Want to ask the Mayor? Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, (808) 270-7855 or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.