A plane full of four-legged passengers took off from the Hawaiian island of Maui and headed for several pet shelters.
136 dogs and cats on board the flight were in the Maui Humane Society when devastating and deadly fires ravaged historic Lahaina last week.
non-profit organizations, Greater Good Charities and Lucky Dog Animal Rescuepartnered with Southwest Airlines to transport 33 dogs and 103 cats from Maui to Portland, Oregon on an emergency flight.
“In addition to supporting local and national relief organizations to bring aid to Maui, Southwest and our Employees have put their Hearts into action to join this effort to transport cabin shelter cats and dogs to the mainland in hopes of finding forever homes,” said Laura Nieto, Southwest Airlines CEO of Corporate Responsibility.
Before boarding the pets on the plane, veterinarians evaluated their health to ensure they arrived safely at their destination.
A veterinarian also accompanied the pets’ flight to Portland and all dogs and cats will be evaluated and receive any necessary medical care before being placed for adoption.
All the pets arrived at their destination on Friday, August 18, Greater Good Charities announced in their post.
The Maui Humane Society was already severely overcrowded before the fires began to burn, as they asked the community for help finding homes for the pets.
Now they desperately need space and caregivers for lost pets that were separated from their owners during the fires.
With the transport of 136 animals, the shelter is able to house more injured and lost animals for help.
Earlier this week, Dr. Lisa M. Labrecque, CEO of the animal shelter, said an estimated 3,000 pets are still missing in Lahaina. More than 50 pets that had been located were receiving medical attention for severe burns and smoke inhalation.
On the rescue flight, another 44 pets were airlifted to the Bay Area in California with the help of Ameriflight.
On August 17, Greater Good Charities was in Hawaii transporting critical supplies to the shelter, including T-shirts, blankets, flashlights, socks, hygiene kits, and pet food.
All pets will soon be up for adoption through the Oregon Humane Society.
The Humane Society published a post on X, sharing ways people can help, including donations to help with medical procedures and delivering pet supplies like food and jalus.
