Kauai shelter dogs jet to new families courtesy of sponsorship
COURTESY KHS
KHS shelter dog Mei Mei says Aloha to customer service representative Natalie before flying to the mainland to join her adoptive family.
COURTESY KHS
Corn Chowder with Kauai Humane Society customer service representative Natalie. Corn Chowder found a family on the mainland and is now named Keoki.
The Kauai Humane Society said 11 dogs found new homes on the mainland, thanks to a sponsorship fully covering the costs of off-island adoptions.
Earlier this month, KHS was offering free off-island adoptions for those who submitted an application. KHS set a May 11 deadline for the program because animal cargo shipments are restricted when temperatures get too high. Normally, off-island adoptions can cost $700 to $900.
The adoptees weighed between 7.4 and 84 pounds each and traveled to new families in Nebraska, New Jersey, Washington, Minnesota, Florida, California, Wisconsin, Arkansas and Arizona.
Many were part of KHS’s field trips for shelter dogs program, in which Kauai visitors are able to check out a dog for the day.
Keoki, a speckled dog previously named Corn Chowder, was adopted by a family that had taken him out on a field trip and learned of the sponsorship.
The nonprofit Kauai Humane Society, like other shelters across the U.S., has been at overcapacity at its shelters, with more dogs than usual filling its kennels.
The number of adoptions has slowed in the U.S. while owner surrenders have surged due to families facing economic and housing challenges, according to Cathy Bissell, founder of the BISSELL Pet Foundation.
BISSELL earlier this month sponsored an “Empty the Shelters” event with reduced adoption fees in more than 40 states, including Hawaii.
Many dogs and cats are still available for adoption.
