Maui Pet Care Volunteer Nominated for Shelter Hero Award

Alice Bennett. Photo credit: Maui Humane Society.

A Maui woman was nominated by the Maui Humane Society for recognition in a national shelter heroes contest.

Alice Bennett is among 10 finalists in the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Shelter Heroes Contest, which recognizes the most dedicated pet care volunteers across the country.

Voting is open now through April 10, 2016, and five of the finalists will win $10,000 for the shelter in their community. To vote, community members can log onto the Hill’s Shelter Heroes Facebook page or website.

According to representatives with the Maui Humane Society, there are more than 7.6 million companion animals that enter shelters each year.  Organization leaders say shelters depend heavily on volunteers to stay afloat and to keep displaced pets healthy and alive.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition is hosting the contest in honor of National Volunteer Week and as part of its Food Shelter & Love program. Contest participants were asked to submit videos on the Hill’s Facebook page, and the Maui Humane Society decided to nominate Bennett.

“Alice has been volunteering at the Maui Humane Society for about two years and during that time she has logged over 1300 volunteer hours,” said Nancy Willis, Director of Development and Community Outreach at the Maui Humane Society.

“Alice does a little bit of everything at the shelter, from walking dogs to helping with our Beach Buddies program to playing with cats and working at our high volume spay and neuter clinics (she is a retired critical care nurse). Alice has a special affinity for senior dogs and takes extra time to walk and care for them when she is at the shelter,” said Willis.

According to the Maui Humane Society, Bennett also adopted her beloved Buddy and Nani from MHS and she has fostered several dogs for the Wings of Aloha program. “We are so grateful to Alice and all of our volunteers at the Maui Humane Society,” said Willis.