Mr. Drew and His Animals Too Closing Poland Education Center

A beloved Maine animal education center is preparing to close its doors, though the people behind it say their mission is far from over.

According to a post from their Facebook page Wednesday morning, Mr. Drew and His Animals Too announced that its Education Center in Poland will permanently close on Saturday, October 31.

Drew Desjardins and his wife, Susan, shared the difficult decision on Facebook, saying the financial impact of relocating from Lewiston to Poland ultimately proved too much to overcome.

The exotic animal rescue and education program moved to Poland Crossing Plaza on Route 26 in 2025 after learning it would need to leave its longtime space at the Lewiston Mall. The Poland location was envisioned as a long-term home where families, schools and visitors could learn about reptiles, amphibians and other exotic animals.

In their announcement, the Desjardins said they had hoped the center could become a destination for Poland and remain in operation for generations.

However, they stressed that they are not looking for a last-minute financial rescue or crowdfunding campaign.

Instead, the couple says they have accepted the decision and will return to the roots of Mr. Drew and His Animals Too: traveling throughout Maine and bringing educational programs directly to schools, birthday parties, Scout groups, homeschool programs and community events.

Anyone who already has Mr. Drew booked for 2026, 2027 or even 2028 should not worry as those appearances are still happening.

The animals are also being carefully considered as part of the transition. Some will continue living with Mr. Drew and participating in outreach programs, while others will be relocated to trusted educational facilities or sanctuaries. The family says no animals will be euthanized and they will not be offered for public adoption.

The Poland Education Center will remain open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October 31, including Indigenous Peoples Day. Previously scheduled events, including its Pokémon event, are also expected to continue.

For eight years, having a permanent public location allowed Mr. Drew and His Animals Too to create a hands-on place for Maine families to experience animals they might otherwise never encounter.

Closing that chapter is understandably bittersweet.

But thankfully, it isn't goodbye to Mr. Drew and His Animals Too.

It's simply a return to where the whole thing began..  bringing the animals, the education and Mr. Drew himself directly to communities across Maine.