Commentary contributed by Phyllis Tavares · Executive Director of 9th Life Hawai‘i

We would love to work with MHS in stopping the killing.

9th Life Hawai‘i, Maui’s only nonprofit, no-kill cat rescue and sanctuary, would like to respond to the “Commentary” written by Candy Aluli in the Sept. 4–10 issue. Candy said, “9th Life Hawai‘i had sterilized only 900 cats since 1998.” Although it was written as such in the feature article, it is not correct. The article should have read: “Since Phyllis Tavares became executive director of 9th Life in 2005, she changed the focus and began providing free, or low-cost, spay/neuter clinics for cats.” 9th Life’s spay/neuter program actually began in 2006. In two-plus years, 9th Life Hawai‘i has sterilized almost 1,000 cats. Candy stated that Maui Humane Society (MHS) sterilized 2,300 cats last year. Based on those numbers, 9th Life Hawai‘i sterilized more than 20 percent of the number of cats MHS sterilized in that same period, but we struggle to maintain our clinics on less than 5 percent of the MHS income of $2 million-plus. 9th Life puts its donations into what works—sterilization. To further clarify, MHS did sterilize many 9th Life cats prior to my becoming executive director. Prior to 2006, 9th Life Hawai‘i was strictly a sanctuary for cats that had nowhere else to safely stay. Founder Crystal Smith was initially a caretaker of many colonies. Because some of these colonies were being used as target practice, or lived in cane fields set on fire for the harvest, or trapped and killed, Crystal began taking these cats home. That is how the first 9th Life sanctuary was born, but it was not until 1998 that we became a recognized nonprofit organization.

In closing, I would like to quote Michael Mountain, president of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. “When you take killing off the table, then you really start looking for new ways that are truly going to work,” he said. 9th Life agrees. We would love to work with MHS in stopping the killing.