​The founder, Summer Whitmore, is a lover and advocate of all animals as well as a certified teacher. After moving to Hawaii and seeing the horrendous ways animals are treated here, she made it her mission to start a non-profit for dogs to live out their days in the best possible way. She moved with two dogs from the mainland, immediately took in two abused dogs from the town she moved to and got them the care they needed for their multiple broken bones and infections. Watching their healing journey made it very clear that this was her life’s mission and so began the journey to build the Dog Days of Summer Sanctuary.

From the Beginning

We envisioned how to create a safe place for hard-to-adopt dogs where they can live out their remaining years with love, cuddles, treats, and comfy beds.

Where We are Now

At Dog Days of Summer Sanctuary, we strive to provide every dog a chance to live out a happy and fulfilling life on our property. Our focus is on dogs with a trauma history or long-term illness that would be challenging to adopt out. Here at Dog Days of Summer Sanctuary, dogs are lovingly cared for in a safe environment while working on training and having fun! Our goals are to ensure these dogs live their best possible lives, get them the medical care they deserve, and keep the facilities clean. Community outreach is also a priority in order to encourage the fixing of animals on the Big Island to help control the overpopulation as well as to educate around the ethical treatment of animals.