Norway Savings Bank branches in Brunswick, Topsham host Midcoast Humane drive

Norway Savings Bank has turned three local branches into drop-off points for Midcoast Humane, giving Brunswick and Topsham residents an easy place to help a shelter that is still feeding and housing thousands of animals across Midcoast Maine.

The supply drive opened June 2 and runs through Friday, July 10 at 14 Gurnet Road and 83 Maine St. in Brunswick and 47 Topsham Fair Mall Road in Topsham. Organizers are asking for wet or dry puppy, kitten, dog and cat food, along with pet treats and toys, flea and tick medication, collars, leashes, and household linens such as towels, sheets and blankets.

That list reflects the day-to-day pressure inside Midcoast Humane’s Brunswick and Edgecomb operations. The nonprofit says it serves 39 municipalities and helps more than 4,000 animals each year. On its adoption page, it says it cares for nearly 3,500 homeless dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, rabbits, domesticated birds, rats, mice and guinea pigs annually. That kind of volume means a bag of food or a stack of towels can matter as much as a formal donation.

The shelter’s own numbers show the scale. Its 2024 community impact report logged 1,046 stray animals, 1,186 owner admissions and 174 court-case animals. The same report listed 2,464 surgeries, 1,584 animals in foster homes, 260 pets seen at low-cost clinics and 9,646 volunteer hours. Midcoast Humane’s 2025 report shows the need has not eased, with 962 stray animals, 1,273 owner admissions and 131 court-case animals already recorded in intake totals.

The bank partnership also makes the donation effort more practical for people who are already passing through Brunswick and Sagadahoc County’s busiest commercial corridors. Instead of a special trip, donors can stop at a branch during errands, commuting or weekend shopping and leave supplies in a lobby bin. That lowers the barrier for community members who may not be able to give cash but can spare a package of food, a leash or clean linens.

Midcoast Humane has also pointed to the broader strain on animal welfare in Maine. Executive Director Jess Townsend appeared on Maine Public’s Maine Calling in September 2024 to discuss the state of animal welfare, and the shelter says all dogs adopted from its care are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and tested for heartworm and Lyme disease. With that level of medical and housing needs, the donation drive offers a direct way to keep the shelter stocked through July 10.