Frequently Asked Questions

The animals at DEW Haven stay at the facility year-round. We provide appropriate housing for all of Maine's seasons, including heated barns during the winter months for animals that are unable to adapt to the cold climate. Most of our animals are adaptable to the cold and actually prefer it over humid summer weather. Note that the sanctuary is closed to the general public from Indigenous Peoples' Day in October until the following May.

No, pets are NOT allowed to visit the zoo. Many of our animals—especially the large cats and primates—do not react well to outside pets. However, trained service animals are permitted by law. Visitors with service animals are asked to be considerate and move quickly past any animals that appear distressed or overly excited by the presence of a service animal.

DEW Haven is an outdoor facility. We close for forecasted pouring rain and thunderstorms, as most animals prefer to stay in their houses and shelters during heavy rain. If we must close for the day due to weather, we post an announcement on our official Facebook page, typically by 10:00 AM at the earliest. We do not offer rain checks.

The sanctuary trail is a quarter-mile loop. Once you have paid for entrance into the zoo, you are welcome to take the loop as many times as you like! Most visitors spend between 1 and 2 hours. We often have guests tell us how glad they were to walk the loop multiple times, because the animals were doing different things the second time around.

There is ZERO direct contact with any exotic animals at DEW Haven | Maine Zoo & Rescue. This is a Maine state law and is strictly enforced for your safety and the safety of our animals. Farm animals can be enjoyed up close and fed at the fence line with approved sanctuary feed.

Yes! We sell animal feed at our gift shop before you enter the trail. You will see clearly posted signs as you walk around indicating which animals you can feed.

Covid has significantly impacted our ability to do tours. At this time, we are unsure whether we will be able to do organized tours. But there are always staff members available to answer any questions you have, and you will often see our animal care staff interacting with our animals during your visit.

Please review the rules before entering: no running, yelling, throwing things, harassing animals, or climbing on fencing. We know kids can struggle with these things. Our staff members will kindly, but sternly redirect anyone struggling with the rules to ensure everyone's safety. Safety must always come first.

We do not sell any food for people at DEW Haven | Maine Zoo & Rescue. There are a couple of great local places to eat—just ask at our gift shop and our staff will happily recommend a place! You can also pack a lunch and eat at the public boat landing just down the road.

Portable toilets are available and located exclusively in the parking area prior to entering the gift shop and trail.

Yes. DEW Haven | Maine Zoo & Rescue is wheelchair accessible. Please remember we have wide natural paths built on Maine outdoor terrain. We spend a great deal of time making our natural pathways as smooth as possible, but there will inevitably be some rocks, bumps, and one hill. Groups of wheelchair users visit frequently without issue, but if you feel you typically struggle with uneven ground, please let our admissions staff know upon arrival and we will be glad to assist you.

DEW Haven operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, family-run zoo in Maine. 100% of proceeds from ticket sales and gift shop items go directly to helping care for, feed, and house our 150+ rescued animals from around the world.