Midcoast Humane is hosting a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the future of its Lincoln County Campus on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Central Lincoln County YMCA in Damariscotta. The organization says the building that houses the Edgecomb shelter is approaching the end of its usable life, and they are exploring how best to continue supporting the animals and people of Lincoln County. 

“The shelter in Edgecomb will not be usable for much longer as is,” stated Jess Townsend, executive director of Midcoast Humane. “There are several possible routes the organization could take in moving forward, and we want to hear from the people who live here what type of animal sheltering facility they want and envision for their community.” 

Previously known as the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, the facility located at 27 Atlantic Highway in Edgecomb currently houses over 100 animals, serves as the workplace for seven employees and receives visits from volunteers and foster families daily. In recent years, Midcoast Humane has repaired and updated the Edgecomb facility, but due to its age and the estimated cost of necessary repairs and renovations, the organization is evaluating options for replacing the building.   
 
“The original building was designed to hold fewer animals for a shorter period of time,” stated Townsend.“As the local population has increased and the value placed on the importance of pets in our lives has grown, the shelter is not able to meet the needs of the animals in our care.” 

Possible routes forward range from a new facility containing a modern medical clinic, humane education classroomand open adoption hours, to a smaller facility reserved to taking in stray animals and owner-surrendered animals to be transferred to the Brunswick facility for adoption. Midcoast Humane anticipates making the decision based on feedback from community members, and how much support the proposed project can garner. 

“The Edgecomb Campus represents over half of the municipalities we serve and is vital to the health of our organization,” stated Townsend. She continued, “Approximately one third of all the pets we take in each year come from Lincoln County; there is a significant need for our services here.” 

According to Midcoast Humane, some of the services the shelter provides to Lincoln County residents include: taking in lost and stray animals, accepting pets from residents who can no longer care for them, providing spay/neuter surgeries to prevent feral cat colonies, supplying low-cost wellness services to pet owners on a fixed income, offering free pet food to those in need, and more. 

“Midcoast Humane’s mission is to make life better for animals and people in our community,” said Townsend. “That is true whether someone lives in Somerville, Wiscasset, Brunswick or Yarmouth. We strive to keep pets and the people who love them together, and will do that wherever we can.”  

Local residents interested in learning more or sharing their feedback about the future of animal sheltering in Lincoln County are invited to the Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Central Lincoln County YMCA in Damariscotta. For more information about Midcoast Humane, and a full list of the towns with which it contracts, visit MidcoastHumane.Org.