SAN DIEGO — This Thursday marks two months since the Maui fires, yet hundreds of animals displaced by the blazes are still being cared for.
A San Diego ASPCA member spent ten days on the Hawaiian island to assist with pet recoveries.
“Cats have to be the most resilient animals in the world because some of them that we got had been there 20 days after the fire,” said Joy Ollinger, ASPCA Manager, Disaster Response Team.
She is based out of San Diego and joined four other members from the ASPCA disaster response team who deployed to Maui days after the devastation.
“I have a lot of wildfire background. This was definitely different, the devastation was so extreme and so complete,” said Ollinger.
There was devastation but also hope for the animals who survived.
“Three we picked up in one day were microchipped. It makes a huge difference in reuniting them,” said Ollinger.
They rescued cats and horses, one whose owner was hospitalized from the fires. “She would follow us around. She was like a big cuddly dog,” said Ollinger.
They cared for hundreds of chickens who started to recognize them after a few visits.
“We would pull up in the trucks and all the chickens would run over to us and jump in the truck and find something to eat,” said Ollinger.
They dug a hole so dozens of piglets could drink from a donated kiddy pool.
“The little ones couldn't reach so he [partner] dug a hole into the ground and then we lowered tubs into the ground and I helped surround it with rocks so it would be steady so the babies could drink and then they all jumped in and bathed. it was super cute,” said Ollinger.
They also rescued three social tortoises.
“They were in a fenced yard but the house and everything around it burned. It was a miracle those tortoises survived. My guess is that they had an underground, like they dug underground but they survived,” said Ollinger.
The Maui Humane Society estimates out of the 3,000 animals who were displaced by the wildfires, they are still caring for 600 pets and livestock.
“It was extremely rewarding and the people out there were incredibly gracious to us,” said Ollinger.
The Maui Humane Society recently met its $1 million match pledge goal but continues to fundraise to help assist in the aftermath. To learn more click here.
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