WESTBROOK, Maine — On Friday night, NEWS CENTER Maine 's Lee Goldberg and Amanda Hill were among 15 people who participated in the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland's annual shelter sleep-in event. Many of them slept with an animal that's up for adoption, with the hope that may be the animal's last night in a shelter.
For many of them, it was.
After losing her dog in June, Grace Stacey showed up the ARLGP's adoption event Saturday to open her arms to another animal in need.
"We just really wanted to bring some more joy into our home," Stacey said.
Not long into her visit, a kitten running, and literally stumbling, caught her eye. Shortly after, that kitten, Ghost, stole her heart.
"He's a wobbly kitty," Stacey said. Ghost has Cerebellar Hypoplasia, a neurological disorder that makes him a little uncoordinated.
"He doesn't know that he has this condition, and he just thinks he's a regular cat," Stacey said.
Ghost was one of many other animals starting a new chapter on Saturday because of the Shelter Sleep-In event.
Anne Neault went straight for the puppies and fell in love with a little blonde girl named Sophie.
"Every single one of them is adorable, and if I could, I would take them all home," Neault said. Lucky for her, she could leave with the comfort knowing Saturday's event brought in dozens of others like her.
"It's an excellent idea, what they're doing today, and I hope every puppy gets a forever home," she said.
Every year the Shelter Sleep-In brings the ARLGP closer to its goal of finding every animal a home. Marketing and Communications Coordinator Matt Blanchard says the sleep-in becomes more successful every year they do it.
"Everything that happens in this building is because we have the support of people who are crazy enough to sleep on the floor in the kennel overnight or who are generous enough to donate to them," Blanchard said.
Blanchard believes seeing people engage with the animals makes the community compelled to want to help.
"People just see the need," he said.
Blanchard said the ARLGP is already close to beating last year's donations, which was more than $100,000. If you want to donate in honor of Amanda Hill or Lee Goldberg, you can do so here.