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Animal Shelters Across Wis. At Or Near Capacity

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) -- Animal shelters across Wisconsin say the economy is also taking a toll on pets.

Officials at Humane Societies throughout the state say they're near or at capacity with cats and other pets.

Shelter officials say when people go through job losses or home foreclosure they can't always afford to keep caring for a pet. In addition, dog owners are more likely to surrender their pets in September and October as kids go back to school and vacations end.

Heather Schmid is the executive director of the Coulee Region Humane Society in La Crosse. She tells Wisconsin Public Radio her shelter is always over capacity with cats, but lately it hasn't had enough room for dogs either.

She says workers are doing everything they can to avoid euthanizing the animals.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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