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Santa Cruz Shelters Deal With A Glut Of Puppies

SANTA CRUZ (KCBS) _ Animal shelters in Santa Cruz are overflowing with animals, specifically dogs and puppies, and officials are trying to adopt them out before the busy breeding season begins.

KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:

"I think one of the reasons that we have so many dogs is the economy. People are losing their homes and are forced to move into apartments that don't allow pets," said Santa Cruz SPCA General Manager Melanie Sobel.

She said that puppies are another matter however; a sign that dog owners are not spaying or neutering their animals. Whatever the cause, Sobel says they need to adopt the dogs out before summer when animals start breeding.

"A male dog can smell a female dog in heat up to two miles away," said Sobel.

Donnell Ehritt is adopting a Welsh corgi that she's named Yoda, because she's a huge Star Wars fan.

"I just hope people come down here and adopt a dog, or at least take a look at them because there are really some wonderful dogs down here," said Ehritt.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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