Pets & 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 pets through adoptions, affordable services and resources, so pets and their families can stay together and thrive.
Featured Pets
These pets have been waiting the longest for their new families to adopt them. Will one of them become your new best friend?
Community Events & Appearances
Join us!
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!
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Chinchillas 101: Small Pets, Big Personalities
Additional reading from September 2025: Part Fluff, All Personality: 5 Reasons to Love Chinchillas Part fluff, part chaos, entirely adorable. Chinchillas are some of the most entertaining little creatures around. They can leap several feet into the air, take baths in dusts, and have the softest fur. But don’t let…
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Henry, Your BFF
Hi I’m Henry, I’m a goofy, playful and fun-loving pup who will always be the life of the party. Whether we are taking a walk on the beach, running errands or taking a hike, I’ll make plenty of friends (and memories) along the way. It’s pretty easy to keep happy.…
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Pingu & Cannoli: Better Together
They call us Cannoli and Pingu, inseparable best friends, and frankly, two weirdos on the same wavelength! We’re a year old, curious, playful, and we firmly believe every good home needs a window with a view. Shy but Curious Cannoli and I can be a little shy at first, but…
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Legacy: Storytime Is Better With Kids
I’m Legacy, and right now I’m spending my days at the Kennebunk Free Library. There are plenty of things I enjoy here — windows, bugs to monitor, cozy nap spots and lots of visitors — but my favorite part? The kids. Kids Are My People I really, really like kids.…
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Why Is There Cabbage in This Cat’s Bandage?
There are some things you expect to find in a veterinary clinic: bandages, medications, stethoscopes. Cabbage probably isn’t one of them. But recently, one of the cats in our care needed exactly that — which is how a donated cabbage became part of her care plan. So… why cabbage? One…
Happy Homes
Whether you adopted from us, visited our Clinic, took a Canine Training class or utilized the Stay@Home program, we want to hear from you. Share your Happy Homes story with us today.
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Nutmeg’s new home
We l❤️ve nutty! We adopted her 5 years ago and she is the best cat my family and I ever had. She was fostered before we brought her home. And we can tell they loved her too. She is so sweet and is my family’s therapy cat.and is also super nice to our dog.She is the best cat ever and the Animal Rescue League took very great care of her. We love her so much and I’m 9 writing this from my mom’s phone (with her permission) and I even say nutty is the best thing/ person / animal ever!!!…
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A home for Abiline
We are the family who adopted Abiline. She is doing great in her new home. She has mastered sit and learning to leash walk without pulling. She’s been out of the kennel hanging out with the other dogs, she wants them to play, they think she is crazy.She went to my daughter’s cheer gym and got to meet tons of kids and was loving all the attention. She has picked a favorite toy. His name is Monkey!
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Joey is the Main Character!
Back in 2018, I adopted a dog that you named Pebbles. She came from Puerto Rico. Both of her back legs needed to be amputated. Her name is now Joey. I am writing a series of children’s books. Well she is writing them. I am a ghost writer. They are about our adventures togather, as a travel nurse and dog. Two of them have been accepted for publication. Thank you for providing me with a friend I did not know I needed.
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Kettle now Cinder
Our boy tuxedo cat was having a hard time after losing his orange sister, doesn’t do well with boys. So we were looking for a sister for him. We ended up finding this little girl and named her cinder. She immediately made herself at home claiming the bed, and the hammock in the cat tree. She gets crazy zoomies and runs around with her brother. Cinder is a cuddly and clingy girl who is extremely vocal and demanding when she wants to play or cuddle to sleep.
Values That Guide Our Work
Community Focused
At AWS we believe healthy people and pets are essential for healthy communities. We strengthen our community by providing pets and people with resources to thrive.
Compassion
We meet people and pets where they are without preconditions or judgement.
Collaboration
At AWS we work together to promote the human-animal bond. We prioritize teamwork and partnerships in all that we do. We are stronger together.
Inclusion and Equity
Diverse voices make us stronger. We are committed to upholding the dignity of all people.
Accountability
At AWS we take ownership for our actions and decisions. We commit to evaluating results and continuous improvement.