Stay@Home
We believe pets are family, and families should stay together. When hardship happens, we want to be here to help.
Suite of Services
Animal Welfare Society’s Stay@Home program is a suite of services available to qualified community members, including older adults and veterans, who need temporary support caring for their pets.
Stay@Home is intended to keep pets in their homes with their families – where they are loved – by providing resources and support as needed.
Stay@Home was featured on WGME, CBS 13. Watch the story here.
Stay@Home appeared on WMTW.
Watch the story here.
Pet Food & Supplies
AWS partners with food pantries throughout York County to supply pet food for pet owners who are experiencing food insecurity.
Behavioral Assistance
Our certified professional canine trainers can assist with mild behavior cases or provide training advice to dog owners, particularly those without access to training resources.
Veterinary Care (Companion Program)
Through our Community Veterinary Clinic, we offer reduced cost veterinary services for dogs and cats.
Temporary Emergency Sheltering
AWS’ state-of-the-art animal shelter offers safe and comfortable accommodations for dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and other small animals while a pet owner is experiencing a temporary crisis.
Pet Food & Supplies
If you would like assistance feeding your pet, our Stay@Home program has resources to help. We work directly with area food pantries (marked in maroon on the map), to provide them with pet food for their clients to bring home to their pets. We also partner with Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program out of Biddeford, Kittery and Sanford to offer food and supplies to their clients with pets.
This map shows the locations of food pantries in our area. Many provide dog or cat food and/or supplies available for pet families. Please reach out to each food pantry directly with inquiries to request pet food and supplies. Click on the map icon for address and contact information.
Behavioral Assistance
If your dog is exhibiting unusual behaviors that impact your quality of life (and those around you), our Canine Training team may be able to help. We prioritize behavior cases where the pet owner is in jeopardy of losing their housing.
Veterinary Care
Though our Companion Program, we offer reduced prices for most of our veterinary clinic procedures and services. To find out if you qualify, please visit our pricing and scheduling page. Companion Program pricing is 25% below our Community (standard) rates.
Temporary Emergency Sheltering at AWS
Temporary Hardship
Stay@Home assists pet owners residing in York County who are experiencing a temporary crisis and need a safe place for their pet to stay while they navigate their situation. Frequent reasons for assistance include pet owners who are: seeking in-patient medical care, rehab services, experiencing a house fire or flood, and survivors of domestic violence. We can work directly with pet owners or with case managers, and most of our clients come via referral from social services agencies or local first responders. This resource ultimately keeps pets and their families together, even if they are separated temporarily.
Caring Unlimited
Additionally, we work in conjunction with Caring Unlimited, York County’s domestic violence resource. If a pet owner seeks services from Caring Unlimited, AWS will house the animal and provide for it temporarily. Once the pet’s owner finds safety and stability, they are reunited with their pet and go home together. Through this program, both the pet and the individual are able to find the care they needed without sacrificing their loving human-animal bond. If you need help, or know someone who does, call Caring Unlimited directly at (800) 239-7298.
Your kindness may seem simple to you, but it meant everything to me.”
Request Services
As a community resource, AWS’ Stay@Home program aims to reduce local animal shelter admissions by supporting our local community and keeping local pets at home with their families. This keeps our kennels available for truly homeless pets. This also allows for the lifesaving transportation of pets from other shelters in Maine needing relief and from overpopulated portions of the US.
To learn more about Stay@Home or to inquiry about resources to keep you and your pet together, please fill out the form.
You may also email our Community Services Manager or call (207) 985-3244 ext 101 to discuss available resources.
