Lahaina Woman Reunited With Missing Dog 4 Weeks After Maui Wildfire Destroyed Her Home
Andrea Powell
Raging wildfires consumed the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui destroying countless homes and claiming the lives of 97 people and numerous pets.
Survivors are taking refuge in local hotels as they try to search through the debris and surrounding area for their beloved pets.
Maui Humane Society has a rescue team that is helping in the search for lost pets in addition to caring for injured pets at the shelter. They are working with local officials and the community to help reunite pets with their "Ohanas" (families).
A Lahaina resident named Chris lost her home and she thought all of her pets. One of her dogs was found deceased under what remained of her bed. Her other dog and cat were not found so she assumed they were killed in the fire.
She was shocked when she received a call from Maui Humane Society saying they found her dog.
The shelter was told by several people that a small, white dog was seen roaming around the local cemetery. Rescuers tried several times to capture him but were unsuccessful. They shared on Facebook, "For weeks after the fires, our Humane Enforcement team received multiple calls from our community about a small white dog hanging out in the cemetery. Our search and rescue teams could not easily retrieve him, so they left food and water for him daily so he could eat and drink, and set out traps in hopes of being able to catch him. He was given the nickname "ghost dog" since he was always hanging out in the cemetery."
Four weeks later, he was finally captured by Humane Enforcement Officer Jutta Mueller. The little fella was brought back to the shelter and had a microchip. The owner was Chris, and the dog had a very fitting name - "Lucky".
"Chris was thrilled to know that her little Lucky was able to escape the flames and survive. Chris says that they lived right next to the cemetery and that it's one of Lucky's favorite places to run around at and do zoomies, he considered it his private park. It was no surprise to find Lucky at his favorite place, so close to home," the shelter wrote.
Lucky is residing at the Hyatt with his mom and his feline sibling, Bunny, who was also found alive and well.
This is a story of hope. "Lucky's story is one of survival, resilience and hope. Chris shared 'If my little Lucky could survive there are still other survivors in Lahaina town!'"
Maui Humane Society hopes to reunite all the pets in their care with their owners. More pets continue to arrive as rescuers head out into the burned areas with food and crates looking for lost or injured pets.
It will be a long road to recovery for the people and pets of Lahaina. Join us in lending a helping hand by donating here and send essential supplies and food. Together, we can make a difference.
