Pets and families thriving together

Founded in 1967, Animal Welfare Society (AWS) is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization located in Kennebunk, Maine.

Our mission

Animal Welfare Society exists to serve as the safety net for lost and homeless pets and to provide access to affordable services and resources necessary for long term well-being, so pets and their families stay together and thrive.

Events & Programs

Join us!

  • December 3 @ 2:00 PM
    Puppy Learn & Play- Yuletide Youngsters

    Puppy Learn & Play- Yuletide Youngsters

    Learn & Play for puppies brings together training skills and doggone fun in short weekly sessions. Each session, led by one of our certified professional dog trainers, includes a mix of socialization, obedience training, life skills, play and fun!

    Learn More

  • December 7 @ 4:30 PM
    Small Breed Learn & Play – Prancer’s Petite Pooches

    Small Breed Learn & Play – Prancer’s Petite Pooches

    Small Breed Learn & Play is a series of one-time sessions that build upon the training and obedience skills you learned in our Basic Training class. It is a great way to reinforce good behavior, learn new skills, bond with your dog and have fun.

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Our 2022 Impact

In a year like no other, we supported our pet community’s needs as families faced inflation, economic uncertainty and housing instability while also adjusting our operations to fit the “post-COVID” era. 

2,009

Pets Adopted

20,245

Procedures and Exams

47,495

Volunteers Hours

39,896

Pounds of Food
& Litter Provided

From the Blog

Whether it’s a dog who likes to blog, a cat who enjoys a chat, a bird who shares the word, or the occasional funny bunny, you’ll love hearing from our resident animals directly. Our blog also contains news & updates, training tips & tricks and more. Keep up with AWS!

  • What are Reindeer Games?

    What are Reindeer Games?

    It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We love the holiday season for it’s festivities, fun, and good feelings, but there’s another reason as well. We’re talking, of course, […]

    Read More

  • Congrats to Team #awscat!

    Congrats to Team #awscat!

    This Giving Tuesday competition centered around the question who is the Coziest Companion: Cats or Canines? After a fierce but friendly competition, the winner is… 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 #𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗧! Our feline friends […]

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  • Karhu is Team #awsdog!

    Karhu is Team #awsdog!

    Hi there, folks! My name is Karhu (pronounced like kaar·hoo) and I am a new face around here at AWS. Can you guess what my name means?! It’s actually Finnish […]

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  • A Grateful Daisy

    A Grateful Daisy

    Hi there! My name is Daisy and I’m a 5-year-old pup who has been looking for my happy new home here at AWS. My life’s been a journey but I’m […]

    Read More

Values That Guide Our Work

Follow Us!

@aws.maine

And the winner is... 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 #𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗧! Our feline friends are celebrating with catnip as we speak and of course, they've received bragging rights over the dogs. Maybe next year Team #awsdog can win back the crown but for now, all hail the cats! 

We want to thank our community for their incredible support this Giving Tuesday. Yesterday's friendly competition between dog lovers and cat lovers has brought in an incredible $𝟏𝟏,𝟕𝟐𝟖 in funds to support the health and wellbeing of the pets in our care. We have been blown away by the kindness and generosity of our community of supporters this year and every year. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮!!!
Sheena was expecting another victory for the dogs today, but so far Team #awscat has remained ahead of the game this Giving Tuesday! However, the night’s not over yet! If you think canines are more cuddly than cats (just look at how cozy Sheena is!), donate to Team #awsdog now and help your favorite species win the crown! 👑 #givingtuesday #dogsrule
Sweet Citrus wants you to know that the cats are still ahead in the Giving Tuesday competition, and that if they win he will wear his cone like a crown! 👑 Donate now to vote for Team #awscat and help Citrus be the kitty king!