Lava Dogs Hawaii

09/22/2026

THIS SATURDAY! RAIN OR SHINE!
World’s Largest Pet Walk!
Saturday, September 26, 2026
8 am

Walk, gallop, trot, or hop over to the World’s Largest Pet Walk, with the Waimea location hosted by Queen’s North Hawai’i Community Hospital. The World’s Largest Pet Walk brings people and pets around the world together to celebrate the health benefits of being active with pets.

The 2-mile walk in Waimea will be led by the hospital’s pet therapy teams as they help raise awareness about the health benefits of walking with pets!

Meet at the corner of Pukalani Road and Ala Ohia in Waimea (near Pukalani Stables where the dog-friendly Kamuela Farmers Market is located)

Walkers welcome – no pet required!
All well-behaved pets on leashes welcome!
FREE! No sign up required!
For more info, call 881-4421

09/03/2026

Hawaiian/Alaska banning all snub-nosed breeds beginning October 2026.

** We're deeply disappointed by Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines' upcoming ban on snub-nosed pet breeds **

Effective October 1, 2026, Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines will no longer allow the following breeds to travel as cargo or checked as excess baggage.

We understand there is inherent risk in flying brachycephalic (snub-nosed) breeds — that risk is real, and it's something we take seriously every single day. But that risk can be, and regularly is, safely managed. With the right precautions — proper acclimation, temperature controls, kennel sizing, health screening, and experienced handling — these breeds can and do fly safely.

A blanket ban doesn't make pets safer. It just takes away options for families who rely on air travel to relocate, reunite, or bring their pets home — and it does so without input from the people who understand this risk best: professional pet shippers and veterinarians who work in pet transport every day.

We're asking Alaska Airlines to pause, reconsider, and open a real dialogue with the professionals and veterinarians in this industry before this policy takes effect. These breeds deserve thoughtful, evidence-based solutions — not a blanket exclusion.

If you agree, please:
📣 Share this post
✉️ Reach out to Alaska Airlines leadership and ask them to reconsider and engage with pet shipping professionals and veterinarians who actually ship pets vs general veterinarians who do not know how this industry even works.

We're not asking for a fight — we're asking for a conversation. These families and their pets deserve better options

09/03/2026

World’s Largest Pet Walk!
Saturday, September 26, 2026
8 am
Walk, gallop, trot, or hop over to the World’s Largest Pet Walk, with the Waimea location hosted by Queen’s North Hawai’i Community Hospital. The World's Largest Pet Walk brings people and pets around the world together to celebrate the health benefits of being active with pets.

The two-mile walk in Waimea will be led by the hospital’s pet therapy teams as they help raise awareness about the health benefits of walking with pets!

Meet at the corner of Puakalani Road and Ala Ohia
Walkers welcome – no pet required!
All well-behaved pets on leashes welcome!
FREE! No sign up required!
For more info, call 881-4421

08/14/2026

UPDATE: FOSTERS SECURED! Thank you everyone! Please take precautions now to keep you and yours safe and dry. 🩵🌨️

⚠️EMERGENCY FOSTERS NEEDED TODAY!⚠️
*Keaau Shelter / East Hawaii Residents ONLY*

PLEASE READ ⤵️

As we prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Lala, our staff is ensuring that all of our shelter residents are safe. The animals at our Animal Community Center live in enclosed buildings while some of the dogs at our Keaau Shelter live in outdoor runs.

🌊🌨️🌪️

We are able to temporarily house the majority of dogs in more protected kennels while we ride out the storm, but do not have enough space to move everyone — and WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We are seeking short-term foster placement for approximately 5-6 dogs.

The need -
Where: The Keaau Shelter

Who: Healthy, social, spayed/neutered dogs of various ages and sizes

When: TODAY! Pick-ups are by appointment today, with available appointments from 11am to 3pm. The foster period will be approximately 3-4 days with drop off appointments available on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, depending on storm conditions.

You must have a plan for keeping your foster dog safely indoors — and separated from other pets in the home.

To foster:
Go to hihs.org and complete a Dog Foster application. Our team will be keeping an eye out and contacting you directly to schedule.

Already completed a Foster application and/or are on our foster team? We will be reaching out individually today as our need demands and capacity allows. If you are ready and able to foster, please call 808-331-3681, text 808-767-3236, or email [email protected].

(Please do NOT contact our main phone line or our general email — please only use this contact info above ⬆️)

Please note: Dogs available for foster will be selected by our staff to help maximize our capacity.

08/01/2026

Attention dog owners!!

Dog training conference/workshops for dog owners. Multiple class options, 4 different trainers teaching, listen only option, working dog option, swag bags, early bird discount and more! Registrations have started to come in. Reserve your spot now in a first of a kind dog training weekend!

03/01/2026

Happy 1st Birthday, Sally!