Hawai‘i Island Man Arrested on Suspicion of Felony Cruelty to Animals

A 61-year-old man was arrested on Hawai‘i Island on suspicion of second degree felony cruelty to animals after dozens of undernourished and injured dogs were found on the man’s property.

Hawai‘i Island police arrested Alfred Cababag of Hawai‘i Ocean View Estates as a result of an animal cruelty investigation. He was released pending further investigation.

The investigation was initiated in December 2020 after police received calls from the public about possible animal neglect indicating there were numerous dogs on Cababang’s Lureline Lane property.

Working with members of the Hawai‘i Rainbow Rangers, detectives and officers determined that an estimated 50 dogs were on the property. Further investigations revealed that several of the dogs were severely undernourished and were not adequately cared for.

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, while executing a search warrant at the man’s property, police say 53 dogs were observed. Members of the Hawai‘i Rainbow Rangers conducted a field assessment and determined that 46 of the dogs were either undernourished, and/or injured and were need of additional care, according to police reports.

The dogs were transported by the Hawai‘i Rainbow Rangers to an animal shelter in Kamuela, where a veterinarian will conduct an examination on each dog.

Cababag was at the property at the time.

Cruelty to animals in the second degree is considered a felony offense if it involves more than 10 pet animals being neglected or abused. The investigation will be forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office after an evaluation of the animals is completed.

Marty Irby, Executive Director of Animal Wellness Action applauded the arrest saying it “sends a strong signal” that animal cruelty “will not be tolerated in our modern-day society.”

“For far too long the US Department of Justice has turned a blind eye to animal cruelty crimes, and we hope the Hawai‘i Congressional Delegation will join our efforts to pass the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act that would crackdown on this and other types of animal abuse,” said Irby.