PAHOA, Hawaii (Reuters) - When hundreds of residents of Hawaii's Big Island fled their homes after the Kilauea volcano erupted, some left behind not only most of their belongings, but also their beloved pets.

In the two weeks since fountains of lava and poisonous gas spewed from the volcano, volunteers have made heroic efforts to retrieve a veritable Noah's Ark of dogs and cats, geese and ducks, cows and goats, horses, cattle and exotic birds. Many were reuniting with their owners at evacuation shelters.