Most of the animals housed at the Lincoln County Animal Shelter find homes within a few months. But sometimes, animals with special needs spend a long time waiting for the right person to come along.

“The Lincoln County Animal Shelter is meant to be a stepping stone, not a landing pad,” shelter attendant Tammy Steinmetz said.

Five of the animals currently living at LCAS have been there a long, long time. They include two cats, Midnight and Chrissy, and three dogs, Morgan, Rufus and Rocko.

Morgan is a two-year old lab hound mix who has been at the shelter for 11 months. She needs an adult-only home and a lot of patience. Steinmetz describes her as “a very sweet dog for the right family.” Morgan needs a home with no other animals; and she would would benefit from obedience training.

Rocko is a three-year old shepherd/lab/rottweiler mix, or an “All American Mutt” according to Office Manager Carrie Koskela. He has been at the shelter for one year.

Rocko adores women, but takes time to warm up to men, and is particular about what dogs he associates with.

Steinmetz said that any family adopting him who had a male family member of another dog would be advised to spend a great deal of time with him before bringing him home to make sure Rocko felt comfortable first.

“It took him about five days to warm up to me,” shelter attendant Kurtis Reed said. “But now he knows I'm OK.”

Rocko demonstrated this by attempting to lick Reed's face and wagging his tail while Reed scratched him.

Rocko would do well in an adult home, or one with older kids (teenagers).

Rufus is a 6-year-old red tick hound. He has been at the shelter since October 2013, and is very nervous in new situations. He doesn't get along well with other animals, and would do best in a quiet, adult home.

“The person right for Rufus would need to allow him time to bond, and would need to commit to the training he needs,” Steinmetz said. He is also an extremely strong dog, and should be walked with a harness as it gives better control. His age is an educated guess made by a vet, as he was brought in as a stray.

Midnight, who is 5 and a half, is a chocolate colored cat who came to the shelter in the spring of 2013, so has been at the shelter nearly two years. A very sweet cat, Koskela describes him as a “full-figured man.”

“When he first came here, his stomach was so big it was barely above the ground when he walked,” Steinmetz said. After a lot of work by the shelter, Midnight has gone from 30 to 21 pounds, but still has a little ways to go to get down to a healthy weight.

Midnight is very sweet and loves treats. He loves curling up inside baskets, and according to Steinmetz, every basket brought into the cat room he has liked. He is a cat that does enjoy attention, but needs to be allowed to come to the person and not pursued, so he would do best in an adult home.

He mostly gets along with other cats, unless they get between him and food. Two unusual things about Midnight are that he enjoys playing in water and getting belly rubs.

Chrissy came to the shelter in December 2011 at 5 months old and is now a little over three years, which gives her the sad distinction of being the animal who has been at LCAS the longest. She is a beautiful tabby, who is very sweet but extremely shy. She needs a quiet, adult home where she can hide until she feels comfortable.

Cat adoption fees are $70 (kittens $40), and dog fees are $175 (puppies $100). All animals are up to date with vaccinations. Cats have been spayed or neutered, had rabies and distemper shots, are flea treated, wormed, and tested for feline AIDS and leukemia. Dogs have been spayed or neutered, have been tested for heart worm and Lyme diseases, are flea treated, and wormed.

Even if none of these animals are right for you, there are many other animals waiting for homes. Stop by the shelter at 27 Atlantic Highway in Edgecomb (the first right turn after getting onto Route 1 North via 27).

They are open Tuesday through Sunday, and closed Mondays. Call 207-882-9677 or 207-882-9677 with any questions.