Recovery efforts to reunite loved ones and assess the damage caused by the catastrophic Maui wildfires have also led to the rescue of numerous pets with serious injuries, while an estimated 3,000 animals are still missing.
Tiny kitten found amid the ashes of Front Street in Lahaina in Maui. Rescue workers have named it Phoenix. Photo: Missing Pets of Maui. pic.twitter.com/SjcgmCOHnf
— Lorenzo The Cat (@LorenzoTheCat) August 14, 2023
The New York Post reported Maui Humane Society worker Katie Shannon stated, “We have seen animals come through our shelter that have severe, severe burns.”
“We have seen dogs that have essentially had their paws all the way burnt down to the bone from running from the fire,” she said, adding, debris has been pulled from their paws and some of the surviving animals need bandages from paw to hip.
Shannon also noted various types of animals are being treated. “We even have a pig here,” she said. Love birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chickens are also among the dogs and cats needing veterinary assistance.
Images of the animals have been displayed, including a chicken with its claws wrapped due to burns.
Currently, rescued pets are being scanned for microchips to seek owners, and Shannon noted, “This is only the beginning.”
While found animals are receiving care she stated, “There is a harsh reality to come.”
An estimated 3,000 pets are still missing, as are around 1,000 people, per the IJR. According to the same New York Post report, 106 humans have been confirmed victims of the wildfires as of Tuesday, but cadaver dogs have only searched around one-third of the affected area.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Assistant Secretary Jonathan Green said that identifying all the remains will be “a very, very difficult mission” and asked for “patience.”