It’s been three years since the Lahaina wildfire, and Chief of Operations Nikki Russel says the Maui Humane Society is still seeing fallout.
The shelter has 43 dog kennels, but consistently has over 100 dogs in its care. The situation is even more dire for its cats. When Russel spoke to HPR last month, MHS had just six open kennels for the 100 cats that needed a home. Russel attributes these numbers in part to widespread layoffs and the lack of pet-friendly housing on Maui, both of which have contributed to persistent challenges that staff anticipated early on in the recovery process.
“As the animals left our care, and we started paring back and closing the annex, and then closing down the catios, it was a sense of release,” she said. “But at the same time, it was also a sense of, you know, Lahaina wasn’t going to be back to normal. It’s still not back to normal.”
But the organization is pushing through. Since the fire, MHS has offered consistent support to pet owners and animals across the island.
Recent Comments