DOVER-FOXCROFT - The bad news is that the Piscataquis area, like other parts of the country, is seeing a rise in abandoned and surrendered pets as people struggle with finances. The good news is that the region is blessed with many good-hearted organizations and volunteers who watch out for homeless companion animals.
   Joe Guyotte of Dover-Foxcroft serves as animal control officer in several communities. When he gets calls about stray or abandoned pets, his options in-county are limited. If an owner wishes to surrender a pet, those options become even more limited.
   Foxcroft Veterinary Service takes in stray dogs and cats, holding them for a time before releasing them for adoption. Rarely, if an animal is very old, ill or aggressive, it is euthanized. Otherwise, homes are found for the animals, according to Val Hughes, an animal health assistant.
   “We’ve had stray dogs here before for four months,” Hughes said.
   But the veterinary service cannot take surrendered pets off Guyotte’s hands, or accept them from the public. They simply don’t have the space.
   “There have been more abandoned animals, and more people trying to get rid of them,” Hughes said. Those seeking to surrender pets to a safe place have to be directed elsewhere.
   Guyotte is hoping to meet soon with town officials and the veterinary service to discuss converting the former animal clinic adjacent to the newer, larger building into shelter space. The new facility would be funded by the towns and/or the county, and operated by Foxcroft Veterinary Service, Guyotte said.
   Strays recently delivered to Foxcroft Veterinary Service include a black Labrador retriever, a chocolate Lab and several cats. Anyone wanting to help the veterinary service provide care to strays may do so via cash contributions or donations of unopened cat and dog food or old towels and blankets. Call 564-2144 for more information.
   There are a couple of other options in Piscataquis County, thanks to volunteer efforts. The Prevent Euthanasia through Sterilization program focuses mainly on providing reduced-cost spaying/neutering in the hopes of cutting down on overpopulation and eventually reducing the number of stray and abandoned pets, according to Mary Shapleigh of Dover-Foxcroft. P.E.T.S., a non-profit organization, serves a broad area, providing services to people from as far away as Pittsfield, Bingham and the Bangor region. In addition, the P.E.T.S. volunteers open their own homes and dig into their own pockets to foster stray cats until new homes can be found, Shapleigh said.
   There are a variety of ways to support their spay/neutering program. Cash is great; they also accept gently-used furniture and household items for their annual fundraising yard sale. Kitty carriers, old towels and other kitty items would also be helpful. Contact Shapleigh at 564-8092.
   Milo/Brownville animals are lucky to have the Penquis Animal Welfare Sanctuary, which includes a shelter facility at 39 Clinton Street, Milo and a cadre of dedicated volunteers. P.A.W.S. takes in stray and surrendered cats at the shelter. Dogs go home to be fostered with individual volunteers.
   “We are up 80 percent from this time last year,” said Val Robertson. She noted that they even have kittens, something rare at this time of year. While P.A.W.S. doesn’t endorse adopting animals as gifts, if the fit is right they are all for it.
   It’s thanks to this group that a one-year-old orange and white tabby named Whiskers found a home for the holidays.
   “He was kind of a lost soul at the shelter,” Robertson said. “He just seemed to want to be alone, not with the other cats. I think he was just overwhelmed by all the other cats.”
   Whiskers had been with P.A.W.S. for four months, always preferring a human lap or shoulder to feline companionship. Then the shelter got a call from a young woman seeking an adult cat for her grandmother. The elderly woman, 70, is mostly housebound and had recently lost her 16-year-old black cat. The granddaughter wanted a colorful cat that would not resemble the deceased pet, and one that would make a good companion for an older person.
   “It was wonderful,” Robertson said. P.A.W.S. had Whiskers posted on www.PetFinder.com, so the young woman looked at his photo and information there. On December 18, Robertson drove Whiskers to Bangor to meet his new family. “They fell in love with him, so he has a home,” she said.
   With so many cats and kittens in-house, P.A.W.S. is going through an incredible amount of food right now – about eight 18 pound bags of Purina Cat and Kitten chows each week. Area folks have been generous, leaving cash in the donation can at the Farmer’s Union and donating the income from their returnable cans and bottles at Three Rivers Feed and Redemption to the shelter. A couple of people drop large bags of cat chow off each week on the shelter porch, too.
   “We really appreciate all of the help everyone is always giving us,” Robertson said. “We have a lot more time to dedicate to taking care of the animals because we don’t have to be constantly fundraising.”
   Other items that would help support P.A.W.S. include old towels and blankets, and pet toys. Items can be dropped in the bin by the bulletin board near the entrance of the Milo Farmer’s Union or left on the porch of the shelter. For more information, call Robertson at 943-2324.