With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Rescuers from Pasadena Land In Fire-Ravaged Maui To Search for Lost Pets
An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023, shows two people walking down Front Street past destroyed buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii.
(
PATRICK T. FALLON
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Months after wildfires destroyed parts of the island, the Maui Humane Society is still looking for pets that went missing.
The organization has been calling on rescue officers from across the country to assist with finding lost and dead pets since August.
James Garcia is one of two rescue officers from Pasadena Humane Society who recently answered the call.
"Maui Humane has done a great job of already rescuing most of the live animals that were left after the fires," Garcia said. "There are some cats left I believe. They're attempting to trap the remainder of them."
Sponsored message
The trick is to always have bits of fish, beef and chicken around.
"Just putting some high quality wet food in a trap would almost guarantee that a cat would go in to investigate, and then once they're trapped, Maui Humane will bring them back and make sure they get the best care possible," said Garcia, who has been based in the fire-ravaged Lahaina, since arriving in Maui.
Since cats tend to be more active at night, Maui Humane has also set up wildlife cameras to try to monitor their activity when rescue officers are off shift.
But so far, Garcia and his fellow rescue officers have mostly come across dead animals. Once these animals are found, the team scans the microchips and provide Maui Humane with tracking numbers to notify the pet owners.
A firefighting helicopter drops water as Maui County firefighters extinguish a fire near homes during the upcountry Maui wildfires in Kula, Hawaii on Aug. 13, 2023.
(
Patrick T. Fallon
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
"It's sad to say, but at least for us here, it's a way to kind of give back and help the residents in not wondering what happened to their pet and just getting some closure," Garcia said. "As a pet owner myself, I think I would want to know what happened to my pet instead of wondering if they survived and possibly continue looking for them."
Sponsored message
For his part, Garcia says he didn't think twice about joining the rescue efforts.
"The animal care community is a pretty tight knit community—it's a small world," Garcia said. "It's kind of like a kinship that we all share, whether it's a animal control officer, veterinary technician, volunteers, or just anyone in the animal care world. Anyone would jump at the chance to come help each other out."
The Maui Humane Society is accepting donations to assist with their search and rescue efforts.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
