Ericka Liam
Field Trips With Dogs Kauai – As travelers who are always looking for ways to give back to the communities we visit, we were thrilled to learn about the Kauai Humane Society’s Dog Shelter Trip through a friend who recently adopted a Kauai dog from them. travel. We have always been passionate about dog adoption, especially after doing a dog rescue mission in the US and adopting our little Asher from Texas (both stories for another time).
This dog day is perfectly integrated into our schedule as a “weekend” where we will go at our own pace without a fixed agenda and spend the whole day with our dog. We had such a great experience that we want to share our knowledge, experience and advice with others. We hope you’ll have a dog day when you’re traveling (or even at home if that’s where you live) and maybe bring your rescue dog!
Field Trips With Dogs Kauai
According to the Kauai Humane Society, there are more dogs than people on Kauai. Most of them were once bred for wild boar hunting. When these animals were not trained or were too old, they were left outside. With such a mild climate in Hawaii, these dogs can live outside for a while until they die of starvation and are picked up and taken to shelters. This problem has led to shelters moving into a critical area, where there are not enough places to go in and provide adequate care for many stray dogs.
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This non-profit animal shelter was founded in 1952 and is the only open animal shelter on Kauai. This requires dogs, cats and other animals of various species, as well as companions and no-kill shelters, which is important because many shelters are forced to euthanize individual animals when they have had enough. The Kauai Humane Society does a great job of engaging the community with a variety of programs, even for non-adoptable dogs, such as boarding and a day at the dog park. Every year, the shelter helps around 3,000 animals!
Location: 3-825 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue, HI 96766. The residence is approximately 10 minutes from the Kauai Lihue Airport. If you are short on time, you can schedule it around the time of your stay or departure from Kauai.
Cost: $40 to support humanitarian efforts in the community. There are various donation levels (from $40 to $300) that can include dog food or even funding to fly a dog to Hawaii for adoption.
The Kauai Humane Society provides a backpack with everything you need for the day.
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We went to Kauai shortly after the Covid restrictions were lifted (September 2022) so some precautions were still in place. Second, the staff chooses the dog for us, whereas before Covid walkers could go into the kennel and choose a dog they felt connected to. It was a bit disappointing but it made the day less emotional as I’m sure we would have been devastated to see so many stray dogs and we want to give them all a home. They only allow those who seriously want to be accepted on the island to watch.
As reservations and donations were completed online, we entered the building without issue. The staff asked us about our plans for the day (traveling of course) and brought back Tiger, our new friend for the day.
Tiger was a beautiful dog with a dark orange/brown color that made him look like a tiger from behind. As soon as our eyes met, we knew we had a friend in him! Tiger was very friendly from the start. We could tell he had done this many times before and was excited to meet new people to lead him on a new adventure. Later we learned that Tigrulya was one of the dogs who lived in the shelter for a long time (more than 100 days when we met him).
We picked Tigger up around 11:00 and after we had finished the presentations and introductions it was time for lunch. Seafood cravings called our name, so we visited our local hidden gem, Konohiki Seafoods, and had an incredible pork laulau with plate and fresh chirashi. Tiger waited patiently with Jeff outside the restaurant, and within 15 minutes with the dog, people were already asking about Tiger and his “adopt me” bell. We were able to share Kauai’s humane society with ease, and spoiler alert: at the end of the day, we found a local couple (who we met at a restaurant) waiting at the shelter looking for a dog to adopt!
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After lunch, Sleeping Giant Mountain (Nou Nou) was our preferred hike for the day. We wanted something challenging but still dog-friendly, so we chose this offer. The Eastern Sleeping Giant trail was 5.5 km with an elevation gain of 293 m, rated as difficult, time was approximately 2.5 hours. We only recommend this route if the weather is good and it hasn’t rained recently, otherwise the road will be slippery.
The tiger needs time to get used to walking with us; he led or followed. As dog parents and former dog walkers, we have experience with dog behavior and training. However, these skills are not necessary for excursions as long as you have a basic knowledge of dog sledding and are able to adapt to a dog and read its body language.
Tiger finally got into a rhythm, but it was humid and hot and this Hawaiian dog couldn’t walk more than three miles! We turned back despite being almost to the top because it was important that Tiger felt safe and comfortable with us. While Tiger drinks water and eats treats, the staff informs us that most dogs don’t use the toilet when you go for a walk because they get a little nervous. Tiger proved them right and we didn’t have to follow him.
During the climb, Tiger was a magnet. People came to us to chat and ask about him. It was a lively way to spread the word about the Kauai Humane Society. We didn’t see any other dogs on the trail, which was helpful as it’s important that the resident dogs don’t mix with other dogs.
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The trail was about a 30-minute drive from the cabin, but we started back an hour before the cut-off. Rush hour traffic in Lihue is notoriously inaccurate on Google Maps. Our advice is to return early to avoid late fees. Back at the Kauai Humane Society, we filled out a short form detailing Tiger’s likes, dislikes and behaviors to help staff gather up-to-date information for potential adopters.
It was hard to say goodbye to Tiger, but we knew he would be accepted because he was a good boy. We recently checked the community website and found out that he was adopted a few months after we saw him. Our hearts were so full after this experience and we would do it again in a heartbeat.
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Lisa Rodriguez Holmgren has been to Hawaii’s Garden Island at least ten times, and she would never, ever take the resident dog on a trip. He didn’t even know what it was. I happened upon the Kauai Humane Society’s Shelter Dog Outing Program on a rainy day in May 2022 while grocery shopping; the brochure she found talks about all the fun things travelers can do for a few hours or a day with a dog in need of a home, from hiking to relaxing on the beach to going to the beach.
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On a recent vacation trip to Kauai’s North Shore in Princeville, Holmgren and her husband came home with Kona, Hawaii’s famous coffee, some T-shirts and chocolate. But this time, the chocolate they brought home was a chocolate Lab and Pitbull mix named Raven.
“My husband suddenly fainted. Actually, we both did,” Holmgren, 56, said with a laugh. The Holmgrens, who live in the Sacramento area, had only been dating Raven for a few hours before they fell in love.
“He was the cutest in the car, standing with his paws on the console. He’ll lick your cheek or put his head on your shoulder and just watch,” Holmgren said, recalling their car ride to their first destination, the Poipet waterfront. “He didn’t jump on us, he didn’t jump on other people.” And when they had dinner: “Just sleep with me
