From Bottle Babies to Big Dreams: 35 Years of the Animal Orphanage and One Unforgettable Shower

You know it’s a good day when your plans change and it leads you somewhere unexpectedly fun.

This morning started like any other rainy Maine Saturday—cloudy skies, canceled baseball, and a long to-do list. But with D’s game called off, it created time for me to swing by the Animal Orphanage’s Kitten Shower—and I’m so glad I did. Big THANK YOU to the Elks Lodge #1287 in Old Town for the space!

Not only was the event adorable (think baby shower, but for kittens!), it was powerful. Seeing people stream through the doors, eager to support, adopt, donate, and connect—it reminded me of just how deeply this community loves the Animal Orphanage. As the Vice President of the Board, that means everything.

I joined AO during COVID, at a time when we were staring down some very real financial uncertainty. Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to right the ship, and today’s turnout was proof: the love for AO is real, and it’s growing.

I brought my mom with me—she’s what we affectionately call a “foster fail.” A foster fail is when you bring an animal home just to foster, but you fall in love and decide to keep them forever—because honestly, who wants to be stuck in a noisy shelter when they could be lounging in a cozy spot, surrounded by love, snacks, toys, and room to roam? The shelter provides all the food, toys, everything they need!

She adopted two kittens that came to AO separately, both found alone, too young to eat on their own, still needing bottle feeding every two hours. They were weak, scared, and vulnerable—but the staff refused to give up on them. That’s the level of dedication we operate with here.

We’re a no-kill shelter. That comes with tough realities. We don’t euthanize animals because of behavior or medical issues. We invest—sometimes thousands of dollars per animal. We plan carefully each year, but no one can budget for a moment like when Chestnut, a sweet Golden Retriever, arrived needing $10,000 in vet care and a long term foster. What we can count on? This community. You always show up.

As someone on the board tasked with keeping AO financially healthy, I exhaled a little easier today and just want to say THANK YOU!

At the kitten shower, Britney gently reminded us that three of the kittens there were actually surrenders. When she said those words, I felt my heart ache. These poor, sweet cats—confused, displaced, yet still purring and hoping for love. Rescue work takes a lot of heart and soul. And the whole team leads with both, every single day.

Help us spread the word about our resilient, grassroots orphanage—one that began with a few committed volunteers who believed that stray and abandoned animals deserve a second chance. Everything we’ve built over the past 35 years came from that same spirit of determination and love.

This year, in honor of our 35th anniversary, we’re on a mission to raise $35,000 to help us keep saving lives.

We’ve been fortunate to receive generous grants and sponships —but community support is the heart of our work. We simply couldn’t do it without you.

How You Can Help:

• Donate – every dollar helps us reach our goal.

• Share this post – the more people who know about us, the better.

• Foster or volunteer – we’re accepting both, and the need is real.

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Thirty-five years. Thousands of lives. And we’re just getting started.

Let’s keep going—together.