Hawaii Rescuers Save Stranded Puppies After Oahu Floods

Four tiny puppies got a second chance at life this week when animal rescuers braved floodwaters in Mokulēʻia, Hawaii, to save them after their mother died in the storm.

Friday's flooding on Oahu's North Shore left both people and pets stranded. Chris Casey, an animal protection officer with the Hawaiian Humane Society, spent the weekend wading through waist-deep water to reach animals in need.

"It was definitely intense being in waist-deep water but my main concern was that we were able to distribute food or any kind of care services animals needed," Casey said.

On Monday, Casey teamed up with Josh Cary, the American Humane Society's National Director for Rescue, to check on animals in Mokulēʻia's agricultural fields. They found a farm worker whose dogs needed food and quickly got them fed.

Then their rescue vehicle got stuck in thick mud. But the same farm workers they'd just helped rushed over and pushed the truck free.

Minutes after getting unstuck, the team got word about orphaned puppies needing immediate rescue. Casey and Cary hiked into the flooded area and carefully pulled out all four puppies to safety.

Sunny's Take

Casey couldn't hide his joy after the rescue. "I feel so good especially rescuing these cute little babies right here. It just brings joy to my heart," he said, cradling the tiny pups.

The moment captured something special about disaster response. Here were professional rescuers helping farm workers feed their dogs, then those same workers dropping everything to help the rescuers, then everyone working together to save helpless puppies.

"This is the goal to help the community and the animals," Cary said. "It just shows the community. They come together for each other no matter what."

For Casey and Cary, it was all in a day's work. After securing the puppies, they headed back out to save and feed more furry friends still stranded by the floodwaters.

The four orphaned puppies are now safe and receiving care, a small bright spot in an otherwise devastating flood.