 our mission
Our mission is to provide temporary care and shelter for stray, abandoned and relinquished animals, and to place as many as possible into responsible and caring homes. The Animal Refuge League also works to create awareness and support for the humane treatment of all animals and to end animal overpopulation through education and the promotion of spaying and neutering. |
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caring for animals in need since 1911
The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (ARL) is a private nonprofit animal shelter established in 1911. The vast majority of our funding is made through the generosity of the general public.
The ARL is first and foremost an adoption agency. Every year, we take in more than 4,000 stray, abandoned or owner surrendered animals. Our goal
is to care for them as humanely as possible until we can reunite them with their owners or until someone chooses to adopt them. Our adoption process is extremely thorough in order to ensure that our animals are placed into a loving home for life.
All animals adopted from the Animal Refuge League are spayed or neutered either before or at the time they are adopted from us. This progressive program also allows us to spay or neuter animals as young as eight weeks old. Pediatric spaying or neutering is enthusiastically endorsed by the American Humane Association.
Contrary to misguided beliefs, the ARL does not have a time limit on how long an animal may stay with us. In many cases, healthy and well-adjusted animals stay until a home is found for them. More than 80 percent
of the animals that come to us find their way to a home.
In addition, the Animal Refuge League saves hundreds of injured and ill animals each year by arranging for care with local veterinarians. |
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our history
The Animal Refuge League opened in 1911 on India Street in Portland and was funded by former Maine Governor Percival Baxter, who believed that humanity had an obligation to creatures of the animal kingdom. Governor Baxter worked hard throughout his life to combat animal cruelty and neglect.
In
1928, due to space limitations, the shelter
moved to the corner of Center and Pleasant
Streets in Portland. Due to the presence
of a live-in superintendent, the facility
was able to provide 24-hour service to the
public — a unique feature at the time.
Whereas the facility on India Street handled
about 150 dogs a month, the new shelter
tripled the capacity.
| In the mid-1950's, the shelter moved for the last time to an urban setting on Westbrook Street in Westbrook. Percival Baxter (right), an honorary director of the ARL at the time, again funded the construction of the new facility. The shelter was named The Baxter Shelter after the former governor. |
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Today,
the
ARL remains a nonprofit refuge for animals,
servicing Portland and surrounding communities.
The shelter has made significant improvements
over the years in the medical care and treatment
we provide the animals. The 4,000
(approximately) animals arriving each year
at the ARL now receive holistic treatments,
along with traditional medical care as well
as a varied enrichment schedule. The Animal
Refuge League continues to thrive because
of the continuing generosity and support
of the general public. For this, we thank
you. |
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The Animal Refuge League currently serves the following communities in southern Maine:
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Buxton
Cape
Elizabeth
Chebeague
Gorham
Gray
Long
Island
Portland
Raymond
Scarborough
South Portland
Standish
Westbrook
Windham |
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Can't
make it into the Shelter? You can
still meet some of our cats at the following
locations:
get a map of all locations  |
Aubuchon,
Buxton
Aubuchon, Portland
Aubuchon, Raymond
Blue Seal Feeds, Windham
Cooks Hardware Gorham
Falmouth Gen'l Store for Pets
PetLife, Portland
PetLife, So. Portland
Pet Quarters, Falmouth
Pet
Quarters, Windham
Pet
Quarters,Scarborough
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our nature trail
Need a change of scenery? Take a walk on the one-mile loop walking trail behind our shelter. Bring your dog (on leash, of course) and experience beauty and wildlife in the middle of the city. Open seven days a week, dawn to dusk.
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