Selma’s furry friends have always found a place at the Selma Animal Shelter, but overcrowding may cause problems.

“We got in 86 dogs and 73 cats in a five day period,” said Sherry Marter, director of the animal shelter. “That is what made us absolutely crowded. We have no room whatsoever.”

The shelter is now trying to house 278 animals in 149 kennels and five wire cages, and Marter said they are nearly at their breaking point.

“By law, the city has to provide a place for people to bring their animals,” Marter said. “I think I made it through the day without having to turn anybody away … And you don’t want to shut the doors and say ‘We can’t take it’ but at this point, right now, I looked and I really don’t think I’d have room for any more kittens.”

This overcrowding causes significant strain on the shelter, Marter said. One of the biggest problems is the upswing in spread of disease.

“We can’t separate the sick animals from the well animals,” shelter staff member Debbie Leverett said. “There’s no way to separate them.”

The shelter would normally have separate quarantine rooms for sick animals, but the overcrowding has made that impossible.

Cost of adoption is $60 for dogs and $50 for cats, and Marter said there is no way they can lower these prices.

The Central Alabama Shelter Board is the nonprofit organization that funds wellness checks and spaying or neutering for each animal that is adopted.

“At those prices, they are taking a hit to begin with, because they are paying the vets more than that,” Marter said. “If they don’t get in a little bit to help keep the fund going, then it’s going to disappear, and they’re not going to have any money at all to help pay for the spay and neuter.

“If you call Montgomery or other places around, you’re going to find that you’re going to pay $120 if not more to adopt an animal from a shelter,” Marter said. “People really need to know they should take advantage of this.”

Euthanasia is an option Marter said she has to face when dealing with this much overcrowding.

“If we do not euthanize, we will have to shut down,” Marter said. “Nobody likes to talk about that, and nobody wants to hear about the euthanization, but it’s a reality. And it’s a reality that I would hope the citizens of Dallas County and Selma would…you know, get behind us to support us.”

Marter said ideally, she would love for the shelter’s 30 adoptions per month to double.

If you cannot adopt an animal, you can also help the shelter by donating supplies like kitty litter, cat and dog food, bleach and disinfectant; by becoming a foster owner; or by volunteering time at the shelter.