No-Kill Shelter Facing Overcrowding

Traditionally animal adoptions are down in the summer, but this year animal abandonment is up. ( Click here for the video )

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -

Dogs and cats are dying every day because there are so many animals up for adoption. Traditionally pet adoptions are down in the summer, but this year animal abandonment is up. That's proving to be a problem for no-kill shelters

"Georgia has a very challenging pet overpopulation problem," Furkids Executive Director Samantha Shelton said.

Hundreds of those pets come through the door at Furkids no-kill shelter.

"We're seeing people do some pretty desperate moves, leaving animals unattended in carriers, in crates," Shelton said.

A surveillance camera at the shelter captured a woman walk up to the door with a crate carrying a cat and five kittens. Someone inside asks her to wait, but she just leaves the animals.

A dog was left outside one of Furkids adoption centers with a sign saying she needs a good home.

Fur kids has placed 7,000 animals since they started 10 years ago. As the economy has gone down, so have the adoption numbers.

"Furkids has experienced an increase in intakes because of people losing their homes. The adoption numbers aren't what they used to be with people losing their jobs, losing their homes. Our intakes are up, adoptions are down," Shelton said.

Shelton hates to turn anyone away because she knows instead of carrying for the pet, the owner may end up brining the pet to animal control where it will be put down.

"It breaks my heart that there aren't enough homes. There are so many great deserving pets and there are just not enough homes," Shelton said.

Shelton encouraged people to spay and neuter their pets and to remember owning a pet should be a lifetime commitment. This year Furkids has had 30 pets returned.