How to Report Animal Cruelty in Hawaii: Laws, Contacts, and Penalties
June 25, 2026
Animal cruelty happens in every state, and Hawaii is no exception. According to the Hawaii Legislature, there has been a significant increase in animal cruelty cases in the state over the past several years — the Honolulu Police Department recorded 73 animal cruelty crimes in 2023, compared to 58 in 2018. Whether you witness a neighbor’s dog left without water in the heat or suspect something far more serious, knowing what to do next can make all the difference for an animal in need.
Hawaii’s animal cruelty statutes are spread across Chapter 711 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), and the reporting system operates county by county rather than through a single statewide hotline. This guide walks you through what the law defines as cruelty, who must report it, how to file a report in your county, and what consequences offenders face.
What Counts as Animal Cruelty in Hawaii
Hawaii law addresses animal cruelty at two levels of severity: first degree (felony) and second degree (misdemeanor). Understanding the difference helps you recognize what you may be witnessing and how seriously the law treats it.
Cruelty in the First Degree (HRS § 711-1108.5)
A person commits cruelty to animals in the first degree if they intentionally or knowingly torture, mutilate, or poison any pet animal or equine animal resulting in serious bodily injury or death, or if they kill or attempt to kill any pet animal belonging to another person without legal authority or the owner’s consent. This is the most serious category and carries felony penalties.
Cruelty in the Second Degree (HRS § 711-1109)
Under Hawaii law, a person commits the misdemeanor offense of cruelty to animals if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly overdrives, overloads, tortures, torments, cruelly beats or starves any animal, deprives a pet animal of necessary sustenance, mutilates, poisons, or kills without need any animal other than insects, vermin, or other pests, or engages in animal fighting enterprises.
Second-degree cruelty also covers less obvious forms of mistreatment. The law includes intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly confining any pet animal in a kennel or cage in a cruel or inhumane manner, or tethering a dog to a doghouse, tree, fence, or any other stationary object by means of a choke collar, pinch collar, or prong collar.
Animal Desertion
It is also unlawful for the owner or any person in possession of any pet animal or equine animal to desert the animal. Any person who violates this provision is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 in addition to any other penalties.
Special Protections for Service and Law Enforcement Animals
Hawaii’s statutes include enhanced penalties for cruelty to guide or service animals or interference with their duties. If you witness harm to a guide dog, signal dog, or service animal used by a person with a disability or by law enforcement, that conduct is treated as a separate and more serious offense under HRS § 711-1109.4.
Key Insight: Hawaii’s definition of “pet animal” under HRS § 711-1100 covers dogs, cats, domesticated rabbits, guinea pigs, domesticated pigs, and certain caged birds. Equine animals such as horses and donkeys are also protected. Livestock and poultry raised for food production fall outside the elevated “pet animal” category, though second-degree cruelty protections still apply to “any animal.”
You can also read about endangered animals in Hawaii to better understand which native species receive additional state and federal protections beyond the cruelty statutes.
Who Can Report Animal Cruelty in Hawaii
You do not need to be a professional, a witness to a crime, or even certain of what you saw to make a report. While there is no statutory language in Hawaii that specifically permits all residents to report suspected animal cruelty, as a matter of practice any individual can make such a report. If something looks wrong, you have every right to contact the appropriate agency.
Reports can come from neighbors, passersby, family members, or anyone who has reason to believe an animal is being harmed or neglected. Animals cannot speak for themselves, so the public is encouraged to be their voice and report tips on animal cruelty. Anonymous reporting is also an option in Hawaii — more on that in the next section.
Veterinary professionals occupy a particularly important role. Veterinarians can play a central role in animal cruelty investigations — they can assist in proving that animal abuse actually occurred, establish that animal injuries are the result of crime and not accidental, substantiate illness due to willful neglect rather than disease, and corroborate long-term abuse rather than a simple one-time injury.
If you are unsure whether what you observed rises to the level of cruelty, report it anyway and let trained investigators make that determination. Hawaiian Humane Society investigators look into tips of potential animal cruelty and abuse, and their officers specialize in animal law enforcement and criminal justice.
Who Is Required to Report Animal Cruelty in Hawaii
Hawaii law places a formal mandatory reporting duty on one specific group: licensed veterinarians. About 24 states place a mandatory duty upon state-licensed veterinarians to report suspected animal cruelty to the proper authorities, and Hawaii is among them.
Whenever any veterinarian duly licensed under Hawaii law has reasonable cause to believe that an animal has been injured or killed through participation in a staged animal fight, it is the duty of the veterinarian to promptly report the event to the appropriate law enforcement authorities of the county where the event occurred. The same duty applies whenever a licensed veterinarian has reasonable cause to believe an animal under their care has been a victim of animal cruelty under HRS §§ 711-1108.5 or 711-1109.
A veterinarian acting under this section must make an appropriate record including the basis for proceeding under the reporting provision. This documentation requirement ensures a clear paper trail for investigators and prosecutors.
In most states with either a mandatory or voluntary reporting law, a companion immunity provision is also provided. Such an immunity statute protects a veterinarian from any civil liability arising from the reporting of abuse. Hawaii’s HRS § 471-18 includes this protection, meaning a vet who reports in good faith cannot be successfully sued by an animal owner for making that report.
Important Note: Outside of veterinarians, no other profession in Hawaii is currently named by statute as a mandatory reporter of animal cruelty. However, law enforcement officers who observe cruelty directly are expected to act under their general duties, and humane society investigators have independent authority to investigate.
For comparison, see how mandatory reporting requirements differ in states like California and Colorado, which also impose mandatory veterinary reporting duties.
How to Report Animal Cruelty in Hawaii
There is no centralized agency that receives reports of animal cruelty in Hawaii. Where and how you report depends on which county you are in. The four main counties each have their own animal control or humane society infrastructure.
City and County of Honolulu (Oahu)
The Hawaiian Humane Society is the only authority outside of the Honolulu Police Department that can rescue animals and investigate cruelty on behalf of the City and County of Honolulu. Their dispatch line operates daily, and they handle both emergency and non-emergency situations.
- Non-emergency reports and complaints: Call the Hawaiian Humane Society Field Services Dispatch at (808) 356-2250, or submit a Citizen Complaint form online at hawaiianhumane.org.
- Dispatch hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; for after-hours animal emergencies, call (808) 356-2250 for assistance.
- Immediate threats: If you witness an incident in real time that poses an immediate threat to public safety or an animal, call 911 for assistance.
- Anonymous tips: You do not have to give your name. CrimeStoppers Honolulu will pay a cash reward of up to $1,000 if your tip leads to an arrest, identification of a suspect, or recovery of property, and you can remain anonymous.
Hawaii County (Big Island)
Effective July 1, 2023, Hawaii County created an Animal Control and Protection Agency (ACPA). The county — not the police department — now houses and performs animal control services island-wide.
- Animal emergencies (Priority 1): Call HPD dispatch at (808) 935-3311. Priority 1 calls receive a one-hour response time and qualify for after-hours field response.
- Non-emergencies (Priority 2): Call the Hawaii County ACPA at (808) 327-3558 or email animalcontrol@hawaiicounty.gov.
- After hours: Call the HPD non-emergency dispatch line at (808) 935-3311.
Maui County and Kauai County
Maui and Kauai each operate their own county animal control programs. For Maui County, contact the Maui Humane Society or the Maui Police Department’s non-emergency line. For Kauai, reach out to the Kauai Humane Society or the Kauai Police Department. In any county, calling 911 is always appropriate when an animal faces an immediate, life-threatening situation.
Pro Tip: When you call to report, have the following ready: the location of the animal, a description of what you observed (including dates and times if known), a description or photo of the animal and any person involved, and your contact information. Your name is kept confidential, but providing it helps investigators follow up if they need more details.
Hawaii’s dangerous animals — including feral animals and wildlife — are governed by separate statutes, but suspected cruelty toward any of them should still be reported to local animal control or law enforcement.
What Happens After You Report in Hawaii
Once you file a report, trained investigators take over. The process varies slightly by county, but the general sequence is consistent across the state.
Investigation
Hawaiian Humane Society investigators look into all tips of potential animal cruelty and abuse, and their officers specialize in animal law enforcement and criminal justice. On the Big Island, ACPA officers respond according to priority level — emergencies within one hour, non-emergencies the same day.
Investigators walk a line between education, advocacy, and enforcement, using an outreach-based approach for animal welfare. Often, where the laws fall short, their influence as advisors and partners with pet owners yields positive results. Not every report ends in criminal charges — many cases are resolved through education, warnings, or connecting owners with resources.
Animal Removal and Impoundment
If investigators find an animal in danger, they have legal authority to act. Under HRS § 711-1109.1, authorized officers may enter premises to remove animals in immediate danger. Hawaii law also provides for the forfeiture of an animal prior to the filing or final disposition of criminal charges when the circumstances warrant it, protecting the animal while the legal process moves forward.
Criminal Referral
When evidence supports a criminal charge, the case is referred to the county prosecutor’s office. The most important function of a veterinarian in an animal cruelty investigation is to provide forensic support in the form of detailed record-keeping — physical examination, history-taking, photographs, imaging, diagnostics, and the chain of custody. Proper collection of evidence by the veterinarian is often key to successful prosecution of an animal abuse case.
If a case is confirmed, an animal nuisance or cruelty report is generated, including whether the animal owner was identified, warned, or cited. For cases requiring follow-up investigation, a copy of the report may be forwarded to the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Animal cruelty has well-documented connections to other forms of violence. Academic studies going back three decades show a clear link between cruelty to animals in childhood and violence against humans in adulthood. Other studies show that an abused pet — noticed by a perceptive neighbor or a veterinary professional — often indicates hidden abuse of a spouse or child taking place within the same home. Investigators are trained to look for these connections.
Penalties for Animal Cruelty in Hawaii
Hawaii’s penalties depend on the degree of the offense, the type of animal involved, and the number of animals affected. Here is a breakdown of what offenders face under state law.
| Offense | Statute | Classification | Key Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cruelty in the first degree (torture, mutilation, poisoning of a pet/equine animal causing serious injury or death) | HRS § 711-1108.5 | Class C felony | Pet/equine ownership ban for 5+ years upon conviction |
| Cruelty in the second degree (beating, starving, inhumane confinement, etc.) | HRS § 711-1109 | Misdemeanor (elevated to Class C felony if 10+ pet animals involved) | Criminal record; potential animal forfeiture |
| Dogfighting — first degree (owning or training a dog to fight) | HRS § 711-1109.3 | Class B felony | Highest animal cruelty penalty in state law |
| Dogfighting — second degree | HRS § 711-1109.35 | Class C felony | Animal forfeiture; criminal penalties |
| Cruelty to a service or law enforcement animal (causing injury or death) | HRS § 711-1109.4 | Class C felony | Restitution for vet bills, retraining, or replacement costs |
| Pet or equine animal desertion (causing death or serious injury) | HRS § 711-1109.7 | Misdemeanor | Fine up to $2,000; each animal is a separate offense |
| Pet or equine animal desertion (no resulting death or injury) | HRS § 711-1109.7 | Petty misdemeanor | Fine up to $1,000 |
First-Degree Cruelty in Detail
Cruelty to animals in the first degree is a class C felony. In addition to any fines and imprisonment imposed, any person convicted under this section is prohibited from possessing or owning any pet animal or equine animal for a minimum of five years from the date of conviction.
Dogfighting Penalties
Dog fighting constitutes a felony where the person owns or trains the dog to fight. Act 149 converted the existing offense to cruelty to animals by fighting dogs in the first degree, clarifying the elements of the offense and increasing the penalty from a class C felony to a class B felony. A class B felony in Hawaii carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Service Animal Restitution
In addition to other penalties, any person convicted of causing injury or death to a service animal or law enforcement animal must make restitution to the owner for any veterinary bills and out-of-pocket costs, and to the person or organization that incurs the cost of retraining or replacing the service animal if it is disabled or killed.
The Link Between Animal Cruelty and Other Violence
Animal abuse has connections to the abuse of family members and may increase aggressive or violent tendencies in children who witness their pets being abused or killed. People who commit acts of serious animal abuse frequently have histories of, or future tendencies toward, violent crimes against humans. Hawaii’s legislature has cited this connection repeatedly when strengthening the state’s animal cruelty statutes.
Important Note: The penalty classifications described here reflect the Hawaii Revised Statutes as currently codified. Always verify the current version of the law at the Hawaii State Legislature’s official HRS database or consult a licensed Hawaii attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.
If you want to understand how Hawaii’s approach compares to other states, explore the animal cruelty laws in Texas, New York, Washington, and Georgia for a broader picture of how states handle these offenses.
Take Action for Animals in Hawaii
Reporting animal cruelty is one of the most direct ways you can protect animals and your community. Hawaii’s laws give investigators real authority to act — but they depend on people like you to bring cases to their attention. If you see something that does not look right, do not wait for certainty. Make the call, file the report, and let trained professionals take it from there.
For Oahu residents, the Hawaiian Humane Society’s reporting page is the fastest starting point. Big Island residents should contact the Hawaii County Animal Control and Protection Agency. In any county, calling 911 remains the right choice when an animal’s life is in immediate danger.
Hawaii’s wildlife and native species also deserve your attention. Learn more about venomous animals in Hawaii, poisonous animals in Hawaii, and the state’s broader efforts to protect its unique fauna.