The Kalaeloa shelter hosting animals from one of the largest animal rescue missions in O'ahu history has found homes for 85 out of 211 cats, dogs and rabbits, and the property owner has extended the organization's use of the warehouse as long as it's needed.

The O'ahu Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opened the shelter July 19 when it and other organizations removed about 400 animals from a Wai'anae Coast property at the owner's request. They were already using half of the Hunt Development Group-owned warehouse for an animal clinic, and the group allowed them to use the rest of it for free to create an emergency makeshift shelter.

"With insurance and everything, we might not have found another place in time," said Stephanie Ryan, SPCA co-founder.

The society is looking at a permanent location also owned by Hunt Development Group a couple miles from the Kalaeloa shelter, she said.

The original 400 number shrank to 211 when Hawai'i-based nonprofit Wild Bird Rehab Haven took in animals from property owner Norman Pang's land. Some of the 85 animals that left the shelter have found permanent homes, and others are with people who will take care of the animals until they're ready to live with an adopted family.

"A lot of small dogs were adopted quickly, as expected," said Inga Gibson, Hawai'i's director of the Humane Society of the United States.

"Now we're encouraging people to adopt some of the larger dogs."

Workers from the Humane Society of the United States that flew down to gather the animals and help the shelter have since left, and the shelter has added to its staff with more volunteers from Hawai'i, Gibson said.

Before they left, the Humane Society workers trained Hawai'i volunteers in the adoption process and how to clean and feed the animals.

SPCA officials said the animals were surprisingly unaggressive after being able to roam free on such a large expanse of property for so long. The worst problem most animals are dealing with is skittishness around people, and all have been dewormed, spayed or neutered, and treated for fleas.