Help the Maui Humane Society Help Pets Lost or Injured in the Fires

I can’t even wrap my mind around the devastation on parts of Maui. I think we’ve become somewhat numb to the constant coverage of disasters as they’re becoming ever more frequent thanks to the climate crisis, but there’s something about this one that is particularly shocking. I hope and pray that at least some pets survived, and they will need help. The Maui Humane Society is on the ground trying to save as many pets as they can.

According to their Facebook page, they expect “an inundation of hundreds of animals who have been burned, lost during the evacuation process, and those in need of critical care due to smoke inhalation.” They are asking for help as the island “grapples with the unprecedented and catastrophic impact of the ongoing Maui fires. The fires have left thousands of both humans and animals displaced, causing immense distress and creating an urgent need for solidarity within the community.”

Funds will allow them “to perform lifesaving medical procedures and purchase supplies for families that have lost everything, so they can keep their animals with them.”

How to donate

Due to the logistical challenges of getting goods to the island, the best way to help is to donate money.

You can donate on their website https://www.mauihumanesociety.org/donate-olx/ or donate to their Facebook fundraiser https://www.facebook.com/donate/327209503004154

They also created the Maui Fires Pets Help Facebook group to help reunite people with missing pets. Scanning some of the posts in the group left me sobbing. The whole situation is just so devastating.

My personal connection to the  Maui Humane Society

I have a bit of a personal connection to the Maui Humane Society, even though I’ve never been to Hawaii. My dear friend Ronnie, who passed away in 2016, realized her lifelong dream of retiring to that beautiful island in I believe 2011. Ronnie was my cat sitter for almost 20 years before she moved. She took care of all of my cats, going all the way back to Feebee. Shortly after she moved to Maui, she started volunteering at the Maui Humane Society. Working with that group brought her so much joy. I know if she was still alive, she’d be on the front lines helping with the rescue efforts.