The Brookhaven Animal Rescue League is looking for a few goodhomes.

The league’s dog shelter at the Hartley Gove Thermometer plantand their cages for cats at area veterinarians are overrun withabandoned canines and felines “whose only crime is being unwanted,”said Tom Ross, an executive committee member.

“It’s a huge problem,” he said. “The Brookhaven Animal RescueLeague is in great financial need. We need homes for these pets.We’re running low on funds right now.”

BARL is unique in south Mississippi because of their no-killpolicy, Ross said.

Volunteers work hard to find homes for every animal left intheir charge. But in the late spring and early summer, when theanimals produce their offspring, they often find themselves withmore dogs and cats then they can handle.

BARL has also set up an ‘Adoption Day” for Aug. 2 in the B92parking lot to help relieve some of the population pressure. Bothdogs and cats will be available for adoption at the site.

The dog shelter currently houses about 70 dogs and puppies andthree Brookhaven veterinarians are at their capacity for housinghomeless and abused cats and kittens. The vets house the catsbecause BARL does not have any facilities for them.

“It’s expensive,” Ross said. “Between the shelter andmedications, it takes a good bit of funding.”

All animals taken in by BARL are given health check-ups and theappropriate shots, and they are spayed or neutered “to stop thecycle of unwanted litters of dogs and cats and to improve thehealth and happiness of these abused or orphaned pets.”

“The adoption fee for these pets is $35, far short of what isspent on them by BARL,” he said.

When the number of pets increases, so does the costs associatedwith caring for them.

“Currently the bank balance is at a critically low level,” Rosssaid. “Unless we get a substantial increase in donations, we willhave to cut back our services drastically.”

Ross did not elaborate on what services would be cut. He saidthe league would have to meet and discuss those issues.

“Right now, our greatest needs are for the adoptions of pets andmonetary donations,” he said.

People interested in adopting a pet can also contact BARL byvisiting the shelter during the plant’s operating hours, from 8a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, or by calling Glen Watkins at757-4367 to arrange an appointment.

“The people of the Brookhaven area have always been very good tous and now we are asking for more,” said Beth Adcock, an executivecommittee member. “We are appealing to all mission-minded peopleand families to help us if they possibly can.”