For the past ten years, thousands of packages are delivered to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter (LCAS) on Christmas Eve, filled with food, supplements, remedies, toys, medications, beds, litter and other supplies. Are Santa's elves working overtime for dogs and cats in need? Those elves come in the form of customers shopping at The Animal House in Damariscotta in the Yellowfront Plaza.

The Animal House hosts the "12 Woofs of Christmas," a program started in 2006, and recently expanded to their location in Westbrook in 2014. Twelve dogs and twelve cats are selected by the shelters for sponsorship. They have a variety of health issues, ranging from arthritis to kidney disease or just a pet that has been housed at the shelter for a long time. The Animal House customizes the packages based on the information given by the shelter.

Customers at checkout can then select a dog or cat for sponsorship, starting at $5. All packages are delivered on Christmas Eve day to LCAS.

Animal House President Aubrey Martin explains the program: "12 Woofs of Christmas serves in two ways: one, so that LCAS receives much needed donations of quality items and products they don't usually receive, such as hip/joint remedies, cat supplements, high calorie foods, etc.; the other is so that people can view dogs and cats at The Animal House who in need of a home, in the hopes that people will go over to the shelter and adopt them. To date, over 2,000 packages have been delivered to area shelters, and has become a customer favorite during the season. We raise funds for rescue groups and shelters all year long, but this is the one that brings out a lot of enthusiasm, and even a few adoptions.

"We are so grateful for the services provided by LCAS and their commitment to the care of these animals before they find their forever homes. They do an extraordinary job in our community and we are very happy to partner with them for the holidays, and year-round."

Businesses and offices are encouraged to sponsor through their corporate giving strategies. The Cheney companies, including Newcastle Square Realty, Newcastle Vacation Rentals and Cheney Insurance, have made it an annual tradition to pool together money to sponsor pets through 12 Woofs. This year, they were able to sponsor 23 dogs and cats, and left one out only as the cat had already been adopted.

For more information about 12 Woofs of Christmas, please call The Animal House: 207-563-5595. Sponsorships may also be made over the phone for those who cannot make it into the store. The official kickoff to 12 Woofs of Christmas at the The Animal House was Nov. 28, and packages are already in the works. 12 Woofs sponsorships will be available until Dec. 24.

The Animal House is open seven days a week and is located at 15 Coastal Marketplace, Damariscotta. They specialize in nutritional consults and feature healthy food and supplies for dogs, cats and companion animals. In addition, The Animal House offers midcoast's first self-service dog washes and full-service grooming, and are an adoption satellite for LCAS.

To date, over one thousand cats have been adopted out through the Animal House Adoption Center for LCAS.