WINTHROP — Three weeks after asking for help, the Protectors of Animal Life Society No-Kill Cat Shelter has raised enough money to continue its mission for now.

In May, shelter officials said the increased costs of veterinary care and the high number of cats in central Maine requiring special care posed a financial burden that threatened the future of the facility that relies solely on donations and adoption fees and prompted it to stop accepting strays.

Between $80,000 and $90,000 has been raised so far, which PALS officials say is enough to start accepting cats again and hire a fundraising director to continue raising money for the shelter through events.

“It’s been really promising, but we will always have a need,” said Theresa Silsby, executive director of PALS No-Kill Cat Shelter.

PALS and other shelters across Maine face increasing costs of veterinary care and medications for the cats that are arriving off the streets with significant health needs.

PALS has the capacity to take care of 150 cats. The number of cats dwindled to 100 during the financial struggles and now, the shelter has around 60 cats and will take in more as cats are adopted.

“We had a lot of donations, big and small, from people saying that we have to stay here or ‘We will help keep you open.’ The donations were incredible and people started to come in looking at the older, less adoptable cats and adopting kittens. It’s been a wonderful response,” Silsby said.

Even though intakes have been limited, no cats were turned away, Silsby said, and PALS received help from other shelters, such as the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook and the Kennebec Valley Human Society. The Animal Refuge League took in several of PAL’s older cats with greater needs.

Shelters in Maine can turn to Maine Humane, an organization that shares resources across the state, including providing supplies to food pantries for community members having a difficult time affording food for their pets, or helping transport long-term residents for a change of scenery or relocating pets with specials needs to different shelters that can offer more assistance.

The organization just received a shipment of 35,000 pounds of pet food from the pet brand Chewy, Bethany Michaud, a staff member at Maine Humane, said.

Michaud said the organization has heard about monetary struggles from shelters across the state.

“This is a statewide issue. Our board had a public meeting last week and we were talking about it because one of the shelters is experiencing very high rent,” Michaud said. “We can always offer resources to shelter, or people, but we tell them that it’s not always sustainable because we do not know when our next shipment will be. This is a problem everywhere and if people surrender their pets, it’s usually for the high medical bills or cost of veterinary care.”

Silsby said she is grateful for the support of the community and other shelters in the area. Fundraising is an uphill battle for shelters and with a fundraising director, PALS hopes to continue raising money for future expenses.

“The outreach has been wonderful and I hope that we keep it up so we can be here for another 45 years,” she said.