Don’t Let it Loose Home Page

Welcome to the Hawaiʻi Don’t Let It Loose Program!

Aquarium dumping is one of the main ways non-native and invasive species enter Hawaiʻi’s waters. Donʻt Let it Loose helps people understand the risks of releasing illegal pets into the wild and how to prevent them from harming our ecosystems.

The AIS team removing an aquarium release from Kāneʻohe Bay.

Our Key Messages:

  1. Releasing aquarium pets into Hawaiʻi waters is illegal and can harm our reefs.
  2. Always rehome your pets when necessary, never release them. Released pets hurt local wildlife.
  3. If you have illegal pets, use Hawaiʻi’s amnesty program to turn them in. Report invasive animals at 808-643-PEST or 643pest.org.

 

Click here for drop-off locations

 

If you have an illegal pet that you would like to get rid of:

Click the link above or go to our Amnesty Program page to find drop-off locations for your pet.

If you find an aquatic species you suspect to be invasive in the wild:

Please call the Division of Aquatic Resources at (808) 587-0100 or send an email to [email protected]. Please provide as much information as possible, including the following:

  • Date/time/location of sighting
  • Detailed description of organism
  • Photo if possible 
  • Finder’s contact information
  • Nearby landmarks of sighting
  • GPS coordinates (press and hold on your phones map to see coordinates)
  • Any additional information about the sighting

For suspected invasive terrestrial species:

To report unknown or suspicious/illegal terrestrial animals or plants, call 808-643-PEST or report online at 643pest.org. Be prepared with information such as a description of the animal, any pictures you were able to capture, the time of the sighting, and the specific location at which the animal was sighted.

To reach us for questions, reporting, or outreach opportunities please contact [email protected]

Events

  • Join a webinar hosted by Lev Gerstle at 1:00 PM on Friday, November 1st.
  • Join the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Branch Open House on Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
    • See some Amnesty Program surrendered pets.
    • Bring and surrender illegal pets without fear of prosecution. Every effort will be made to rehome the animal.
    • WHERE: HDOA Plant Quarantine Office, 1849 Auiki St, Honolulu
  • Watch the Marine Bioinvasions and the Marine Aquarium Pathway webinar by international expert Dr. James Carlton here: https://www.youtube.com/live/0SZKVCUAzSc?si=h7gg1HUU0pE6CDGm. Read more about Dr. James Carlton and his research on aquatic invasions here.