Reporting Animal Cruelty:
If you’re looking for help with a local animal cruelty or neglect case in Maine, please report the situation to your local Animal Control Officer as well the Maine Animal Welfare Program. If you’re reading out to the Animal Welfare Program, copy us info@peaceridgesanctuary.org on your email so we can be aware of the situation. Reports must be first-hand accounts. If possible, please include photographs in your reports.
Not sure if the situation is reportable or need other assistance? Reach out to us via email with as much information as possible, and we’ll advise.
Wildlife Rehabilitation:
If you find an injured wild animal or a wild animal you think needs help, please reach out to your local wildlife rehabber for advise. Here are some places in Maine that we recommend reaching out to: Avian Haven, Center for Wildlife, Acadia Wildlife Center, Misfits Rehab, or Wilderness Miracles (click on the names for websites)
Looking for Animal Placement Help:
We’re asked to take in thousands of animals each year and prioritize helping with local cruelty, neglect, and other emergency situations. Because the need is so great, we typically can’t take in personal relinquishments unless they are emergency situations. When space allows, we consider personal relinquishments when someone is willing to make ongoing monthly donations towards the care of their animal(s).
If you are reaching out for help with farmed animals, equines, or dogs, we will review your placement request form and then follow up to discuss further and/or let you know if we can help. At the current time, we are NOT able to accept any bird species, bunnies, or cats, though you can reach out for advice about emergency situations for these species.
Please note: our shelters are very busy and always very full so it can take a bit for us to review placement requests, especially for non-emergencies. Please be patient, but please also let us know if there is an immediate emergency that needs addressing. Please only select that the situation is an emergency if it truly is one.
Animal Relinquishment Relinquishment Process:
- We will reach out once we have reviewed your completed request form found below.
- Please fill out ALL of the required information as completely as possible.
- Please note, if you are asking for help, you must agree to let someone from our team come to your property to meet the animals and assess the situation first.
- We prioritize helping with emergency and local cruelty/neglect cases first.
- For non-emergency cases, we can let you know whether or not we can put you on our waitlist. If you are placed on our waitlist, we’ll give you an approximate timeline of when we might be able to help.
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If you are on our waitlist and your situation becomes dire (animals not being fed/receiving basic care) please let us know right away.
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If you are on our waitlist and are no longer in need of assistance, please let us know right away.
- When we are ready to help, we will follow up with you to set up a transfer date and coordinate transfer requirements.
- If we have agreed to help, please do not place your animal somewhere else without reaching out to us first.
Transfer Requirements:
Before animals are transported to our shelters, you will be required to complete a relinquishment form, transferring legal custody to the sanctuary.
- Prior to transfer, we may require you to send us test results for certain contagious diseases. For equines, a current negative Coggins test is REQUIRED before they can be transported. For ruminants, ideally, we will receive current test results for CAE, CL, OPP, Johne’s, etc., but we will discuss as part of the review process. Please let us know if you need help setting up an appointment to have the testing done.
- Please provide us with any veterinary records, including vaccination records.
- If you are transporting your animal(s), we will coordinate a time with you in advance.
- If we are transporting your animal(s), we require you or someone arranged by you to be there to safely load your animal(s) onto the trailer as well as to make sure the animals are contained before we arrive.
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