MENANDS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — On Monday, the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society issued an urgent plea for the local community to adopt and foster animals amidst a sheltering crisis. The humane society has 262 cats and 126 dogs under care, but the shelter only has 85 dog kennels.

“We need adopters. We need foster families. We are reducing fees to just $50 to encourage people to adopt now. Many of our animals have been with us for a long time and are beloved by our staff and volunteers. Without adopters coming forward, we are going to have to make some heartbreaking decisions,” said CEO Ashley Jeffrey Bouck. “We’ve been talking about the lack of kennel space in our community and the need for more municipal support. We have a finite amount of space, and we cannot be the only solution.”

The MHHS is putting owner surrenders and intake of stray cats on hold until further notice. Adoption fees are now $50 for all animals aged one and older. Adoption fees for animals under the age of 1 are $100.

To meet available pets available for adoption, please visit https://mohawkhumane.org/adopt/available. Individuals interested in becoming foster volunteers can learn more here.