Department of Agriculture encourages residents to turn in any illegal animals

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – If you’ve got an exotic pet that’s illegal to own in Hawaii, you’re urged to surrender it to the state rather than let it loose.
The Department of Agriculture held an event yesterday at its Plant Quarantine office in Kalihi to educate the public about its Amnesty Program.
Snakes and exotic lizards are some of the types of animals you can turn in without penalties or questions asked.
“We have this program so that people don’t feel afraid, they don’t feel like they’re, you know, they’re coerced into having to bring these animals, and there’s going to be repercussions because we just want people to feel comfortable like they know that they don’t have they have something that they’re not supposed to have and go to the right places so that they can turn it in.”
The state says animals turned in will not be euthanized and instead could be sent to a zoo or educational facility on the continent.
Harboring an illegal animal carries prison time and fines of up to $200,000.
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