Man faces charges after dog caught on camera harassing Hawaiian monk seal
KAILUA-KONA (HawaiiNewsNow) - State and federal agencies cited a man on Tuesday after his dog was caught on camera harassing a Hawaiian monk seal at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park several weeks ago.
The 52-year-old man recently moved to Hawaii Island from the mainland, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
His identity is being withheld for privacy reasons.
The DLNR said on Oct. 10, a witness captured on video the man’s dog running toward the seal and barking at it.
It took several weeks to track down the dog’s owner.
The man faces the following charges:
- DLNR: Harassment of endangered and threatened species and permitting a dog to stray without a leash
- National Park Service: Failure to restrain a pet, disturbing wildlife
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Violation of the federal Endangered Species Act
The man is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 26, 2023.
For the NPS charges, he can pay fines of $80 (for the failure to restrain a pet charge) and $130 (for disturbing of wildlife activities) to avoid going to court.
For the NOAA charge, penalties will be assessed in accordance with NOAA’s Penalty Policy.
Anyone who witnesses harassment of wildlife is asked to report it to 643-DLNR or the DLNRTip app.
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