BRUNSWICK — The Coastal Humane Society of Brunswick and Lincoln County Animal Shelter of Edgecomb will again have the annual Home for the Holidays special adoption event on Saturday, Dec. 16, at both of their locations, 30 Range Road in Brunswick and 27 Atlantic Highway in Edgecomb. The event will feature dozens of puppies, kittens, dogs, cats and small animals.

The shelters will allow extended holds on pets through Christmas Eve, so that parents who are looking to present a new furry family member to their kids for Christmas can do so as a surprise. Coastal Humane and Lincoln County volunteers will even deliver pets to their new homes on Christmas Day, dressed as Santa and his elves for the full holiday effect.

This is the fourth consecutive year the shelters will offer Christmas Day delivery and extended holds, and the donations from the services benefit the animals.

Coastal Humane Society opens at noon for adoptions, and Lincoln County Animal Shelter opens at 11 a.m. For complete hours, see their websites.

The organization cautions that pets are not for gifts outside the family. An animal intended as a gift should be under the direct care of the person choosing the animal, or, in other words, the adopter must be one of the primary caregivers of the animal. Otherwise the pet could be given to someone who doesn’t necessarily want a pet or to someone who isn’t prepared to own a pet.

Both shelters also offer gift certificates that can be used toward adoption.

Shelter officials note that new pets should be introduced to a calm environment as they adjust to their new homes.

A Home for the Holidays preview photo album of the puppies going up for adoption along with ages and breeds will be posted to the shelters’ Facebook pages the week before the event.

FMI: 207-725-5051, coastalhumanesociety.org or lcasmaine.org.

Volunteer elf Heather Straz delivers Rosie to her new human brother, Cameron Kirby of Portland, in a 2015 Christmas Delivery. Coastal Humane Society and Lincoln County Animal Shelter will be rescuing over 80 puppies, dogs and kittens in December and hope they’ll all find homes before Christmas in their “Home for the Holidays” Adoption Campaign. A special adoption event will take place Dec. 16 at both locations.