When Maraya Pierro answered a call from her 80-year-old mother about a trapped litter of puppies, she had no idea it would turn into a cross-country rescue mission. But Pierro, founder and executive director of Rescue Kitties of Hawaii on Moloka’i, never says no to helping animals in need — especially babies.
Pierro’s mother heard hungry puppies crying from underneath a deck as she helped remove belongings from an abandoned home.
“My first thought was, like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t know what to do with puppies,’” Pierro told The Dodo. Her second thought was: These babies need food.
She picked up some formula, bottles and blankets and headed toward the east end of Moloka’i, the island’s most remote area.
“I had no idea what I was going to find, because nobody could see the puppies,” Pierro said. “They were stuck way under the deck.”
The property had been foreclosed after the owners left abruptly last fall. They also deserted their dogs, the mama and papa who produced the litter earlier this summer. A man assigned by the bank to clean up the property fed the dogs for months, but hadn’t seen the mom in several days.
As Pierro rushed to the scene, she called in reinforcements. Moloka’i is small, with a strong community. “Everybody knows everybody,” she said. “It’s like the game of telephone.”
Before she knew it, a robust crew of white-haired senior citizens, including her 80-year-old mother, were on the deck, prying up wooden slats, reaching through cobwebs to save the crying puppies. “I’ve never seen any of us jump into action that quickly,” Pierro said, laughing. “[We’re] not spring chickens, either.”
From the sounds the puppies made, everyone assumed there were three or four babies trapped under the deck. To the rescuers’ shock and delight, the puppies kept coming.
“Every time another one came up, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, number five! Oh my gosh, number six!” Pierro said.
In total, seven puppies were pulled from their dark hiding spot. Pierro and her crew searched the area, listening for anyone they missed, but were confident they saved the entire litter.
“They were starving,” Pierro said. “We didn’t want them to eat too fast. So it was like an incredible assembly line.”
The seniors took turns bottle-feeding and comforting the babies. Covered in fleas and dehydrated from the heat, the puppies couldn’t have been happier to be in someone’s arms.
Moloka’i doesn’t have a permanent vet or a shelter big enough for seven babies who need constant care. Pierro reached out to her vet partners on O’ahu to secure vaccinations and medications for the puppies over the next few weeks.
Through her Rescue Kitties of Hawaii network, Pierro found the puppies a seasoned dog owner with a large Moloka’i property to foster the puppies. They got stronger, learned how to play and developed their own unique personalities.
“These foster pups each come with their own bombastic personalities,” Pierro wrote on Instagram. “Side eyes, snuggles, howls, and more! From Little Miss Land Shark to Fatabu the Big Baby, they’re already stealing hearts.”
The foster loved the puppies so much they ended up adopting one. Another Moloka’i family adopted two. This past week, the remaining four puppies flew to a shelter partner near Boston that is excited to find forever homes for these brave babies.
As for the mama and papa dogs, the Maui Humane Society was able to locate Papa, who has since found a forever home with a doting family on Moloka’i. Pierro says she hopes Mama is still out there, and knows what a good job she did keeping her babies safe as long as she could.
There is a saying on Moloka’i: “Don’t change Moloka’i, let Moloka’i change you.” Pierro said she is forever changed by these puppies and the community that came together to save them.
“Every single one lived,” she said. “And is thriving.”
If you would like to donate to Rescue Kitties of Hawaii, you can do so via their website.
