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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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…
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Your New Favorite Relative – Floki
Snacks, Snuggles and Funcle Energy Dear family currently missing a funcle, Every family needs one: the fun uncle who shows up ready to play, encourages a little harmless chaos, has plenty of opinions and somehow ends up asleep on the couch afterward. That would be me. The Funcle RÉSUMÉ I’m…
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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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.
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Oreo now Ozzie
Ozzie is doing absolutely amazing, and I honestly couldn't be happier with how he's doing! He has become such a special part of my life, and I love him more than words can explain. I love having him around, watching his little personality shine, and getting to spend every day with him. He makes me smile without even trying, and even the smallest things he does make me so happy. I love knowing that he is safe, comfortable, and surrounded by so much love. He isn't just a pet to me; he's family, and I couldn't imagine my life without…
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Now Willow
We adopted Willow , a 11/2 yr old Golden Retriever, last Sunday, October 25, 2026. She is a love. She was clearly well loved and well trained. She’s smart and sweet! We’ve kept her world small and her routine predictable. It’s hugely paid off – in a week. We got a second crate for her to sleep in our bedroom, we had a Easy Walk harness that stopped her pulling on her leash – she lives down the street from a tiny beach that she will enjoy for daily swims … she loves her yard, playing fetch, long frequent walks.…
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Shirley now Artemis
I fell in love with Shirley at first sight. She’s settling in quite nicely and her new loving home, and spoiled rotten with lots of toys and treats. Thank you AWS for providing me with my forever pet.
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.