Maui Humane Society

What Maui Humane Society does

Maui Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit open-admission animal welfare organization founded in 1953 and incorporated in 1962, headquartered in Pu'unene, Hawaii, with an annual operating budget of approximately $12 million and a staff of 96 employees. The organization serves Maui and Moloka'i as the only open-intake animal shelter in the region and holds an exclusive animal management contract with Maui County covering animal control, humane enforcement, and stray animal sheltering. Its service portfolio spans pet adoption, low-cost spay/neuter (including free TNVR for community cats), dog licensing, end-of-life cremation services, lost-and-found reunification, 24/7 humane enforcement, and the only authorized Direct Airport Release veterinary inspection service for Hawaii's rabies quarantine program at Kahului Airport, through which over 9,000 animals have been processed.

The organization generates revenue through a hybrid model combining donations (one-time, monthly Faithful Friends, planned giving via Paw Prints Legacy Society, stock and vehicle donations), Maui County government contracts, and fee-for-service offerings (adoption, licensing, cremation, spay/neuter, airport release). It operates a mainland transfer program (Wings of Aloha) funded exclusively by the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, with Alaska Airlines as the exclusive airline partner, transporting animals to adoption partners across six states. The technology stack is minimal and operational: a WordPress-based website, Constant Contact email, Shopify merchandise store, and PetHub microchip registration, with no proprietary platform, no mobile application, no public API, and no AI/ML capabilities. Sub-brands include Wings of Aloha, Beach Buddies, 4EverPets (low-income pet retention, launched 2020), Hope Fund, Paw Prints Legacy Society, and Alaska Angels.

Name

Maui Humane Society

Legal name

Maui Humane Society

Website

https://mauihumanesociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Maui Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit open-admission animal welfare organization serving Maui and Moloka'i with shelter, adoption, spay/neuter, licensing, cremation, and Hawaii quarantine direct release services, operating on a $12 million annual budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spay/Neuter & Population Control Programs (BPAGAIAE), Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Low-Cost & Community Veterinary Clinics (HLAMAAAE)

Keywords

• Animal shelter services
• Pet adoption programs
• Veterinary spay neuter
• Humane enforcement services
• Lost pet reunification

Headquarters

HQ city

Puunene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity supported almost entirely by donations from the community. Donations come through one-time gifts, monthly giving (Faithful Friends program), stock donations, car donations, and Amazon Wishlist contributions.
2. Government Contract: Maui Humane Society holds an animal management contract with Maui County to provide shelter and care for strays found in the community as well as law enforcement. Also provides Moloka'i Animal Services through Maui County contract.
3. Service Fees: Fees collected for adoption services, spay/neuter surgeries, dog licensing, pet surrender, cremation services, and airport direct release services.
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests in wills, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, and other estate planning vehicles. Donors are recognized through the Paw Prints Legacy Society.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maui Humane Society operates the only open-admission animal shelter on Maui and provides county-contracted animal services for Moloka'i. It delivers pet adoption, low-cost spay/neuter (including free TNVR for community cats), dog licensing, end-of-life cremation, lost and found reunification, 24/7 humane enforcement, and Hawaii Direct Airport Release services for incoming pets, supported by foster, volunteer, and community outreach programs.

Product overview

Maui Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit open-admission animal shelter serving Maui County, incorporated in 1962. The organization operates a broad portfolio of programs organized around animal sheltering, veterinary services, humane enforcement, community support, and fundraising. Core programs include the Pet Adoption Program (with Paws to Adopt trial adoptions and off-island adoption support), Community Spay/Neuter Services (including free TNVR for community cats), Dog Licensing (administered under Maui County Code), End of Life Services (pet cremation), Lost & Found Pet Reunification, Pet Surrender Services with retention counseling, and Humane Enforcement (24/7 incident response, Title 6 enforcement). Extended services include Direct Airport Release (guiding pet owners through Hawaii's rabies quarantine for same-flight release, having processed over 9,000 animals), the Foster Program, Volunteer Program, Youth Camps, Beach Buddies Dog Outing Program, Transfer Partners / Wings of Aloha (flying animals to mainland partner shelters), Alaska Angels (Alaska Airlines passenger chaperone program), the Found Kittens Program, Mobile Veterinary Clinic (providing wellness services in underserved communities), 4EverPets (low-income pet retention assistance), and a suite of donation and planned giving mechanisms. The organization is not a technology product company; all offerings are in-person, service-based programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wings of Aloha: Program that flies homeless pets from Maui to adoption-guaranteed shelters and rescues on the continent, exclusively funded by the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation
• Beach Buddies
• 4EverPets
• Hope Fund
• Paw Prints Legacy Society
• Alaska Angels

Products and services

• Pet Adoption Program Facilitates adoption of shelter animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, small animals) into permanent homes. Includes an adoption questionnaire, matchmaking support, a Paws to Adopt 10-day trial program, and off-island adoption support for adopters outside Maui.
• Community Spay/Neuter Services
• End of Life Services (Pet Cremation) Offers pet aftercare and cremation services including expedited private cremation, individual cremation, communal cremation, and colony cat cremation. Pricing varies by pet weight.
• Dog Licensing Administers Maui County dog licensing per Maui County Code 6.04.020. Licenses are valid for two calendar years and available online, in person, by mail, or at the DMV. Includes microchip registration support via PetHub.
• Lost and Found Pet Services Operates Maui County's only open-intake shelter for lost pets. Provides lost/found pet report submission, reunification support, microchip scanning, and community listings for missing animals.
• Pet Surrender Services Accepts owner-surrendered animals by appointment (scheduled approximately two weeks out). Provides a Pet Retention Specialist to explore alternatives before surrender and offers a free rehoming listing service.
• Direct Airport Release Guides pet owners through Hawaii's rabies quarantine process to enable same-flight airport release. Maui Humane Society is the only airport quarantine service provider, with fees supporting homeless animal care. Has safely processed over 9,000 animals.
• Humane Enforcement and Incident Reporting Provides 24/7 animal emergency response, enforces Title 6 of Maui County Code, handles animal neglect reports, dog bite reports, leash law violations, barking complaints, and animal abandonment cases.
• Moloka'i Animal Services Under contract with Maui County, provides stray dog animal control, temporary sheltering, and humane enforcement on the island of Moloka'i.
• Wings of Aloha Transfer Program Partners with mainland animal rescue organizations to transfer Maui shelter animals for adoption. Wings of Aloha flies animals to partner shelters in CA, WA, OR, NV, CO, and ID. Partners receive free transport, health certificates, spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, and marketing support.
• Off-Island Adoption Services Facilitates adoption of shelter animals to homes outside Maui, including health certificate preparation, rabies vaccination, airline coordination, and optional airport transport and boarding services.
• Foster Program Recruits and manages volunteer foster parents for shelter animals including neonatal kittens, sick/injured animals, under-socialized pets, and stressed shelter residents. MHS provides all supplies, food, veterinary care, medication, and training.
• Volunteer Program Coordinates volunteer participation including dog walking, foster care, event support, and drop-in opportunities for visitors. Volunteers donated 50,000 hours in the past year. Includes outreach events and school community service partnerships.
• Beach Buddies Dog Outing Program Invites visitors and residents to take shelter dogs on outings to beaches, parks, and restaurants to reduce shelter stress, showcase dogs' personalities, and facilitate adoption connections. Includes a Kama'aina volunteer version and a paid guest program.
• Mobile Veterinary Clinic Operates a mobile veterinary unit providing wellness exams, vaccinations (DAPP for dogs, FVRCP for cats), microchips, and flea/tick prevention at community locations including Hana and Lahaina. Services use a sliding cost scale and are sponsored in part by Petco Love.
• 4EverPets Program Community outreach program created during COVID-19 to assist low-income families in keeping their pets rather than surrendering them. Helps with rehoming, housing concerns, medical bills, behavioral issues, and financial hardship.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 animals cared for annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alaska AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive airline partner for the Wings of Aloha program. Covers the cost of animal transport in climate-controlled cargo hold, enabling homeless pets to fly to mainland adoption partners with volunteer chaperones.
• Mainland Animal Rescue Organizations (Transfer Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of animal rescue organizations in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, and Idaho that receive transferred Maui animals for guaranteed adoption. Partners receive free transportation, health certificates, spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, and marketing support.
• Red Cross and Maui County Civil DefenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency response partnerships for disaster situations, providing pet-friendly emergency shelter locations during events like fires and natural disasters.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National animal-welfare organization with direct shelter operations, grant-making, and legislative advocacy. Comparable as a broader-incumbent operating in the same nonprofit animal-welfare category, though at significantly larger scale and scope.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National leader in no-kill animal welfare, operating the largest sanctuary in the U.S. and providing grant funding across the shelter ecosystem. Comparable as a large-scale open-admission/save-rate-focused nonprofit, but operating at much greater scale and broader geography.
• Oregon Humane Society: Large, well-established open-admission shelter in Portland with municipal animal-services contract and full veterinary hospital. Comparable mission and business model, but operates at a larger scale on the mainland with broader funding base.
• San Diego Humane Society: Major regional open-admission shelter serving San Diego County under municipal contract. Directly comparable in contract-based service model and scope (adoption, veterinary, enforcement), with a larger budget and broader geography.

Direct peers

• Humane Society of Utah: Open-admission, municipal-contracted animal welfare organization previously led by Maui Humane Society's incoming CEO. Highly comparable in budget scale (~$12M), staff size, and program mix including adoption, veterinary, and humane enforcement services.
• Hawaiian Humane Society: The largest open-admission animal shelter in Hawaii, serving Honolulu and O'ahu. Directly comparable as a Hawaiian-island-based nonprofit humane society offering adoption, veterinary, humane enforcement, and surrender services with a similar revenue scale and operational model.
• Hawaii Island Humane Society: Open-admission shelter serving the Big Island of Hawaii. Comparable as a Hawaii-based nonprofit animal welfare organization with multiple shelter locations, adoption services, and veterinary offerings.
• Kauai Humane Society: Neighbor-island open-admission shelter on Kauai. Closely comparable in mission, scope, and island-geography context to Maui Humane Society, including adoption, spay/neuter, and community outreach programs.
• Animal Rescue League of Berks County: Open-admission shelter previously led by incoming Maui CEO Alexis Pagoulatos. Highly comparable in scope (adoption, spay/neuter, humane enforcement) and budget scale to Maui Humane Society.

Regional players

• Routt County Humane Society: Open-admission shelter serving Routt County, Colorado, also previously led by Alexis Pagoulatos. Comparable mission and operations model, though operating at smaller scale in a different (mainland) geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MauiHumaneSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maui-humane-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maui Humane Society