A Field Trip with Iris of Kauai

Our Hawaii trip itinerary provided for a very quick hop to the Island of Kauai. We landed there midmorning, had an afternoon helicopter tour booked, and planned to fly back to Oahu around dinnertime. As we were heading out of the Lihue Airport I grabbed a few unassuming pamphlets from a rack of tourist information. I perused them while my husband procured our rental car, and by the time I slid into the passenger seat I knew exactly what we would be doing with the time we had to fill.

The Kauai Humane Society has a field trip program designed so that shelter dogs can accompany locals and tourists on special outings. It helps the dogs get used to walking on leashes and being around people, plus it gives them an opportunity to get fresh air, exercise, fun, and love. They billed this perfectly in their advertising- Missing your 4-legged friend? Take a shelter dog on a field trip and get your doggie fix! I was sucked in immediately, being that it was day seven away from my own furbaby (who was so content with having taken over my mother-in-law’s easy chair he probably didn’t even miss me).

You can check the dog out starting at 11am, take him to tons of different beaches, parks, and hiking trails, and return him safely back before a designated time, all for a suggested donation of $25. They even provide a backpack with everything you can possibly need- including a leash, a towel, treats, waste bags, bottled water, and a bowl, as well as a list of dog-friendly places to bring them.

We arrived a bit before 11 and I was surprised how many people were hanging out in the lobby, waiting to volunteer for field trips. They finally let us in the back and we were able to meet the dogs! The ones available for field trips had a note on their kennel. Before setting off, you had a private meet-and-greet with the pup in a closed yard to make sure you are a good match. We were drawn to a small black dog named Iris. She was small and sweet and quiet with big beautiful eyes that made me want to take her home!

Iris was given a little vest to wear letting the world know she was looking for her furever home. We took her to the Sleeping Giant Trail where we had an absolutely lovely hike. If we hadn’t participated in the shelter program we likely would have been hiking anyway, so it was extra nice to have Iris with us!

Our usual canine hiking companion is a pit/hound/boxer mutt, a lean 60lb machine with tons of stamina and speed. Iris was also a hound mix but was much smaller and as a result we didn’t get to do quite as much of the trail as we initially planned. It was still a perfect trail for the day and we got to enjoy beautiful views and perfect weather. Little Iris seemed to enjoy herself and she took an adorable nap in the backseat after the hike.

I was actually really sad to drop Iris off at the Humane Society after our adventure. Homeless animals in Hawaii are a big issue. With Hawaii being so isolated there aren’t often enough potential adopters for the number of animals needing homes. Costs to transport animals to the mainland are manageable thanks to donations and partnerships, but it isn’t always easy. Currently Iris is not listed as available for adoption on the Kauai Humane Society website, so I believe she must have found her furever home. It was an honor to spend the day with her, and I would encourage you to look for similar programs while on vacation or even near home!