Ever since the tragic wildfires erupted in Maui in early August, a large-scale effort has been underway to assist pet-owning families with locating their beloved animals and reuniting those animals with their families, bringing perhaps some comfort at a very tough time for many people.
The Maui Humane Society, on Aug. 9, launched the "Maui Fires Pets Help Group," a mutual-aid Facebook group, the day after the fires began.
Since that time, a staggering amount of people — nearly 9,000 — have joined the group.
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In the social media group, members can post about any and all pets they've either lost or found — or both. They can say whether they need assistance with their pet or if they're able to offer assistance to others as well.
The group "is committed to leading the lifesaving and reunification process for all animals, of all species, affected by this devastating event," said an Aug. 22 release from the Maui Humane Society.
The same press release provided to Fox News Digital shared more details about the Maui Humane Society's work in the wake of the fires.
It said the society has worked with local and federal search and rescue teams and emergency management to rescue pets from the "burn zone."
"Seven cats from within the burn zone were rescued by FEMA task force members and transferred to Maui Humane Society via Humane Enforcement officers," the group reported about the events of Monday, August 21.
However, both pet owners and trained animal rescue organizations have expressed frustration at being barred from the "burn zone" to rescue any potential surviving animals.
Fox News Digital reached out to both FEMA and the Hawaii governor's office, each of which said it is not the entity that has prohibited access to the area.
Many pet owners fear their animals may have survived the fire — yet now cannot be rescued and safely returned to them.
The presence of live animals in the burn area has been reported, said the Maui Humane Society — and these animals are "in need of assistance, including water, food and medical attention."
The group also said, "If a first responder finds a live animal, they will take the animal to a checkpoint to be turned over to Maui Humane Society personnel for veterinary care and/or reunification."
In addition to the seven cats FEMA rescued from the burn zone, the Maui Humane Society took in nearly 200 animals from Lahaina; it's attending to them at their shelter in the town of Puunene.
About 30% of the live animals rescued by the society have been reunited with their families, the group said.
Also, the Maui Human Society has received "over 1,300 filed lost [pet] reports, which have been submitted online or through our new hotline."
"Veterinary staff have helped over 375 animals in Lahaina," said the Maui Humane Society. "Thousands of gallons of safe drinking water and hay bales have been delivered daily over the past week to animals and livestock in both Lahaina and Kula."
Prior to the fire, about 130 pets were already in the Maui Humane Society's care and were in need of adoption.
Now, these animals "have been transferred off-island into guaranteed adoption homes," the organization said, in order to free up space needed for additional rescue animals.
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The Maui Humane Society said it's provided the necessary paperwork, vaccinations and kennels to people who are looking to leave Maui with their pets.
The organization "distributed 17,000 pounds of pet food and supplies to emergency shelters, distribution checkpoints, parks, churches, hotels and individuals in need throughout the island," it said.
The Maui Humane Society "is here," the press release noted, "and will continue to serve the community. We have received an overwhelming amount of support from our local community as well as physical donations, which we are prioritizing to distribute to all pet owners who have been directly or indirectly affected by these fires, across Maui Nui."
The society added that "as emergency shelters close down, we are partnering with organizations across the island to ensure that pet supplies are distributed from Hana to Kula to Napili to keep pets in homes."
Anyone in need of pet supplies is encouraged to visit the Maui Humane Society, the organization said.
"Whether you have been directly or indirectly affected by the fires, it is critical to keep your pet with you," the group also said.
As of Tuesday, August 15, the Maui Humane Society said it no longer needed donations of supplies or pet food, but that it was accepting monetary donations to continue to assist with the recovery effort.
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A fundraiser launched by the Maui Humane Society on Facebook garnered more than $750,000 in just over two weeks.
"Maui Humane Society is expecting an inundation of hundreds of animals who have been burned, lost during the evacuation process and those in need of critical care due to smoke inhalation," the fundraiser's organizers said.
"Maui Humane Society is asking for help as the island grapples with the unprecedented and catastrophic impact of the ongoing Maui fires. The fires have left thousands of both humans and animals displaced, causing immense distress and creating an urgent need for solidarity within the community."
The organization said the "Maui Humane Society’s mission is to protect and save the lives of Maui’s animals, accepting all in need, educating the community, and inspiring respect and compassion toward all animals."
Anyone needing more information can visit mauihumanesociety.org.
