July has arrived, and businesses in the State of Maine have been opening back up again, here at the Franklin County Animal Shelter we have once again made the decision to remain closed to the public but still perform adoptions, surrenders, nail trims, flea treatments, and stray drop offs by appointment. This has not been the easiest of decisions… we miss our visitors, our volunteers, and our community members dearly. However, anyone who has visited the shelter knows that our rooms are small, and it will be nearly impossible for us to impose 6-foot social distancing if we were to open. We just don’t have the space or the staffing for it. Unfortunately, at this time, we still do not have an open date in mind.

One thing that has really been a positive discovery of our new Adoption by Appointment system is that it has really given the shelter staff the opportunity to find the right fit for what an adopter is looking for in a new furry family member. The one-on-one time that we have been able to give has been amazing at helping adopters make correct choices on new furry family members, and it has also helped adopters not make rushed adoption decisions. When things start settling down, we’re hoping to somehow continue this new Adoption by Appointment system that is currently working so well for our animals. Since the pandemic started, we have only had 1 returned adoption, who has since been adopted into his purrrrrfect furever home. That is absolutely amazing. Since we closed to the public on March 16th, we have found furever homes for:

* 64 Adult Cats,
* 56 Kittens,
* 9 Adult Dogs,
* 10 Puppies,
* 6 Guinea Pigs,
* 6 Rats,
* 2 Rabbits.

Please continue to reach out to us if you need help. We’re still here for you. We’re still here for your furry friends. Our Pet Food Pantry is open every Saturday from Noon to 2 p.m. Our Mama Cat Program is still available. We’re still taking strays and surrenders by appointment. We’re still selling feline spay/neuter vouchers for Franklin County Residents by appointment. Though we are closed for walk-ins, our office staff is answering the phone lines from Noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding as this has been a pretty significant challenge for us, as it has been for most businesses. We appreciate our community and are looking forward to the day we can comfortably and safely open up again. In the meantime, from your furry friends here, please stay safe!