Over 130 Adoptable Shelter Pets Airlifted Out of Maui to Make Room for Animals in Need

Greater Good Charities, Southwest Airlines, and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue partnered up to help Hawaiian rescue pets find homes and make room in Maui shelters

Dozens of animals are on the road to loving homes while making space for pets needing emergency care.

On August 17, a plane — provided by Southwest Airlines — filled with humanitarian supplies for the pets and people affected by the wildfires in Maui arrived on the Hawaiian island. The effort resulted from a partnership between Southwest, Greater Good Charities, and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue.

The donated plane did not fly back to the mainland U.S. empty; before departing on Friday, volunteers filled the aircraft with over 130 shelter pets from the Maui Humane Society. The cats and dogs who boarded the return flight were adoptable pets at the animal shelter before the wildfires started.

By moving out of Maui Humane Society, the 130+ pets are making room for the numerous animals injured and displaced by the wildfires.

Related: Dog Burned in Maui Wildfires Is Reunited with Owners After Running Away from Flames

"It's best practices in disaster to clear the shelter of adoptable pets so that the shelter has the room to take in any pets that the disaster may have impacted, whether that be strays or pets waiting to reunify with their families or animals that need help short term," Liz Baker, the CEO of Greater Good Charities, tells PEOPLE.

The cats and dogs that were airlifted out of Maui went to shelters along the west coast of the U.S., including Oregon Humane Society, Berkeley Humane, Marin Humane Animal Rescue Foundation, East Bay SPCA, Fremont Animal Services, and Friends of Alameda Animal Shelter.

Baker says a veterinarian checked all the animals before boarding the flight and received exams when they arrived at their new shelters to ensure they were in good health, so the pets should be available for adoption soon.

The CEO adds that this airlift was a group effort made possible by the kindness of dozens of individuals.

Related: How to Help Pets and Rescue Animals Affected by the Hawaii Wildfires

"It's really all hands on deck, and it takes many, many, many organizations. It happened with the help of Maui Humane, their veterinarians, and their fosters, who prepared the animals for the flight. Southwest Airlines helped us load the plane and then fly it over. We had a veterinarian on the ground doing double checks of all the animals, and then the pets got distributed to the rescue groups that lovingly took them in, and we'll see them all the way through to adoption." Baker says.

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She hopes the pet transport inspires others to help the animals affected by the Maui wildfires and encourages animal lovers to routinely check Maui Humane Society's social media accounts for information on what support is needed.

"Greater Good Charities also has a portal where people can sign up to volunteer for future relief flights; most of our projects are volunteer-run," Baker adds.

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