For the past three years the number of animals being brought to the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society has steadily increased.

But now the shelter, which is only meant to hold 200 animals, received more than 1,000 in the last month alone and are expecting even more before summer's end.

"The month of June was the highest ever since numbers have been recorded. Our actual intakes were 1,031. That's detrimental to our population here," said Humane Society Director, Lorri Hare.

The Humane Society is struggling to house an influx of dogs and cats in its cramped quarters.

"Right now we've got puppies in cages we normally wouldn't keep puppies. We've got five or six kittens in a cage, where we would normally have two," explained Hare.

But the numbers game keeps catching up with them.

"We're full when we open the doors in the morning and we're getting 40, 50, 60 sometimes higher amounts of pets when we open," said Hare.

The 1,031 animals received in June is up 245 from the same time last year when the shelter took in almost 800 pets.

Bowling Green resident David Armey and his wife came to the shelter looking to adopt.

"Well I actually told my wife, I said you can't save every dog that needs a new home. But as she pointed out to me, we could save one and that would be one less and we know how crowded the shelter is here in town," stated Armey.

The animals that aren't adopted may not get another chance.

"Today alone we've euthanized over 40 animals," said a tearful Hare.

In June, the shelter euthanized 516 animals with more than half of them because of a lack of room.

"Its very hard to make the decisions on which animals to euthanize and which ones to keep. But we have to base it on who we think is most adoptable," said one of the shelter's euthanization technician, Lisa Henderson.

Unfortunately for the shelter, the next couple of months won't be any easier.

"Statistics show that July is even worse than June and August is worse than July so we're very, very scared about whats getting ready to come in the next two months," Hare explained.

Hare says the reason for so many animals coming in is because people aren't spaying or neutering pets.

She says while they are overcrowded, Hare would much rather have people bring pets to them than leave them on the streets.

If you would like to adopt a pet or learn more about the Humane Society, call (270) 783-9404.