Our Story

Maui Humane Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was first established as a non-profit in 1953, incorporated in 1962 and is the only open admission animal shelter on the island of Maui. Our mission is “to protect and save the lives of Maui’s animals, accepting all in need, educating the community, and inspiring respect and compassion towards all animals.”

Our exceptional staff are passionate, devoted to our mission and have cultivated an organizational culture that fosters collaboration and problem-solving. With strong leadership and strategic vision, the organization’s innovative programs are saving more lives than ever before and enhancing the quality and availability of animal welfare services on Maui.

Our motto is ‘We Love Saving Lives’ – and we are dedicated to maximizing positive outcomes for our shelter animals through adoption, transfer into adoption-guaranteed care, and reuniting lost pets with their people. Maui Humane Society’s facility undergoes regular improvements to ensure that our shelter is a welcoming, family-friendly place for people to visit, adopt, volunteer and shop to support the care of our shelter animals. Enrichment programs are designed through our Behavior & Training Department, such as daily Dog Playgroups, Beach Buddies and the Volunteer Foster Program. We are able to identify and respond to the medical and behavioral needs of each individual animal in our care, increasing their chances of adoption. Bi-weekly meetings take place to discuss the needs of all behavioral and medical animals in our care to establish the most productive and expeditious pathway to adoption or transfer. These meetings consist of representatives from every department and can be likened to an individualized case management approach for animals. The Hope Fund makes it possible for many of these animals to receive life-saving medical treatment above and beyond what is normally possible, and our Wings of Aloha transfer program saved 568 animals just last year by placing them into adoption-guaranteed care in Washington and Oregon. 4EverPets is our new community outreach program that began during the COVID crisis as a resource to help keep pets in home. During the pandemic, Maui Humane Society provided over 100,000 lbs of pet food to families who were facing financial hardship. The program assists with supplies, medicine, flea/tick prevention, behavioral resources and solutions to prevent surrender. In a further effort to become more community-focused and support pets who are already in homes, Maui Humane Society employs a Pet Retention Specialist. This individual assists families to retain their pets rather than surrendering them to the shelter. We offer a variety of options to assist with re-homing a pet, housing concerns, medical bills, behavioral concerns and financial hardship.

These combined efforts have made it possible for Maui Humane Society to increase its Live Release Rate (LRR) for dogs and cats.

Maui Humane Society works in partnership with Maui’s public and private sectors to serve our community. Our veterinary team provides year-round, no (or low) cost spay/neuter services, serving approximately 6,000 animals and their families in the last fiscal year. Our outreach-oriented Humane Enforcement Officers provide 24/7 Animal Emergency Response and Animal Management Services for the County of Maui and in the event of a disaster, MHS works in partnership with the Red Cross and Maui County Civil Defense to provide pet-friendly emergency shelter locations. Our staff is also authorized to provide veterinary inspections for the State of Hawai’i’s Quarantine Direct Release Program at Kahului Airport.

Maui Humane Society also partners with schools, community organizations and both local and national animal advocacy groups to offer a variety of Humane Education programs with the goal of providing Maui’s residents with the resources they need to be informed animal welfare advocates and responsible pet owners.

Part of Maui Humane Society’s fundamental mission and core values are to treat people and animals with deep respect, compassion, kindness and Aloha. This ‘Aloha spirit’ is reflected in the excellent care and love each shelter animal receives. Whether they are facilitating a happy reunion, helping a family find the perfect match, or helping you say goodbye to a best friend, MHS staff are dedicated to responding to the needs of our community with sensitivity and compassion.

Federal Tax ID Number
99-6000953