BATON ROUGE - A local animal shelter is bursting at the seams, and workers are overwhelmed trying to find homes for pets.

Every kennel at Companion Animal Alliance is filled with a furry friend or more.

"We have 177 dog kennels available, and we currently have 262 dogs in our care," communication and grants director Emily Jackson said.

There have not been enough adoptions for the number of animals the shelter is taking in. Jackson said the CAA is working to find a solution.

"We're encouraging people to adopt our dogs. Please visit us as soon as possible. If you're not ready to adopt, we encourage you to foster," Jackson said.

It is not even the shelter's busy season; Jackson said she's never seen such a spike.

"Typically, it slows down after our high-intake summer months. That's when we get closer to seeing 15 to 20 animals a day, but now we're seeing 40 to 50."

Among the reasons for the skyrocketing number: more surrenders and more animals are being taken off the streets. The overflow is putting a strain on the veterinary and animal care efforts.

"It means that we're spending fewer moments with each individual animal, and it also means that difficult decisions sometimes have to be made," Jackson said.

The CAA is offering an adoption special through October 31. You can stop by and name your price for adoption fees.