At Capacity: Nearly 400 Shelter Animals Need Adoption from Maui Humane Society

The number of animals surrendered and found stray on Maui have “multiplied exponentially” over the course of a month, resulting in critical capacity at the Maui Humane Society.

Organization leaders say pandemic effects continue to impact the shelter, which currently has a total of 396 dogs, cats and critters in need of adoption.

“Kennels are full, with multiple dogs sharing a space intended for a single dog. With the heat of the summer and less opportunity for the dogs to be walked due to COVID-related volunteer restrictions, Maui Humane Society is expressing an urgent need for these animals to be adopted,” according to an organization announcement.

“If you are thinking about adopting, this is the time to take action and make it a reality,” saod CEO Steve MacKinnon. “We are transferring as many animals as we can off island and maximizing our Foster Family network, but this dramatic increase in animal intake is pushing the limits of our programs and shelter capacity.”

Kittens are arriving daily, often so young that they require bottle feeding every three hours. This is where the organization’s Bottle Baby Foster parents step up to help save lives. There are currently 199 cats and kittens in Foster homes, either waiting to be adopted or to be old enough to be spayed/neutered and made available.

There are 21 dogs and puppies living with foster families. Organization leaders say these are often medical cases, seniors and special needs dogs.

Maui Humane Society Wings of Aloha program, funded by the Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation, has flown 86 animals to the mainland this month alone.

At the shelter, the new Paws To Adopt Program allows prospective adopters to spend 10 days with an animal before committing to finalizing the adoption. All adult animals (6 months +) are eligible for this program.

To view animals visit www.mauihumanesociety.org.

To make an appointment to meet an animal, call 877-3680 ext. 3 or book your appointment online at https://calendly.com/mhsadoptions. The shelter remains open by appointment only, Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Maui Humane Society is the only open admission shelter on the island, accepting all animals in need.

The organization cares for more than 4,000 animals a year and offers low- and no-cost spay and neuter services to
the public. Last year, Veterinary Staff performed more than 5,700 spay/neuter surgeries and more than 2,000 Hope Fund procedures for animals who required medical care beyond what is typically possible. Their Wings of Aloha transfer program and Foster program of over 400 local families is saving the lives of more than 2,500 animals a year.

During COVID, a community assistance program launched to help feed and care for pets of those financially impacted by the pandemic. To date, more than 70,000 pounds of free pet food has been distributed. For more information visit the Maui Humane Society website.