Thousands of Pets Missing After Maui Wildfires; Rescuers Race to Save Injured Animals
Maui, Hawaii — Thousands of pets remain missing after last week’s devastating wildfires in Maui, as veterinarians and animal welfare groups work urgently to rescue and treat injured animals.
Katie Shannon, spokesperson for the Maui Humane Society, told ABC News that an estimated 3,000 pets are unaccounted for. She said her team, along with other rescue groups, is still waiting for access to the most heavily damaged areas to assess the full scope of the crisis.
“It might take days or weeks to really understand the extent of the damage,” Shannon explained. “That’s why we are making sure that all animals are treated here when necessary.”
As of Sunday morning, the Maui Humane Society had received 52 animals from Lahaina, many suffering from burns, smoke inhalation, and fire-related injuries. Some arrived with burned ears, legs, and paws and had to be wrapped in protective bandages.
One dog, named Katniss after the heroine of The Hunger Games, was rescued by a Lahaina firefighter and transported for urgent care. Katniss sustained severe burns to her paws and bones.
“Our team immediately attended to her pain and medical needs,” Shannon said. “She was truly in shock, and she’s in a lot of pain, but we are really hoping for a positive outcome.”
Katniss is an owned animal, and the Humane Society is working to reunite her with her family.
The organization has already logged 367 reports of lost pets and is urging owners to file reports to help identify and match animals that are found.
“That’s going to give us the best opportunity to reunite every animal with its owner,” Shannon said. “And unfortunately, it may also provide closure for those who have lost a pet.”
Amid the tragedy, there have been moments of joy. One dog, Roman, was separated from his caretaker during the fire when his sitter jumped into the ocean to escape the flames. Roman was later found alive, though he suffered burns to his paws, legs, and back. Thanks to his microchip, he was quickly reunited with his owners.
“That’s why we are here. We love animals,” Shannon said.
The Maui Humane Society continues to call for community support as it works to care for the hundreds of injured animals and reunite families with their beloved pets.