DENHAM SPRINGS - The Denham Springs Animal Shelter is bursting at the seams, struggling to house more dogs than it can safely keep warm.nbsp;Staff say the recent surge in animals has pushed them past capacity, and theyrsquo;re now asking the community for help.ldquo;So they keep coming,rdquo; said Rachel Boutwell, the shelterrsquo;s director, describing the steady flow of incoming dogs.nbsp;In just the past few days, the shelter has taken in 20 new dogs, bringing their total to 90, more than double what they typically try to keep on site.ldquo;Which may not be a whole lot to some larger parishes and shelters, but for a small shelter like ours, with limited space, it takes a toll on us,rdquo; Boutwell said.Many of the dogs are living outside in kennels, a situation staff are desperate to avoid as temperatures drop. Normally, the shelter tries to stay under 50 dogs, but Boutwell says this year has been hectic.ldquo;Wersquo;re hoping this time of year, especially with the nasty weather wersquo;ve been having, is to try to get some of these dogs into a home, at least for a short period of time, let them get a stress break,rdquo; she said.Boutwell says many animals end up at the shelter simply because theyrsquo;re dropped off within their jurisdiction.nbsp;ldquo;A lot of people just say, lsquo;Oh, well, yoursquo;re no-kill. Irsquo;m going to go dump the dog there so they wonrsquo;t kill it,rsquo;rdquo; she explained. ldquo;But wersquo;d like to keep that no-kill status.rdquo;The director says overcrowding leads to stressed animals and behavioral issues. ldquo;Cats and dogs are less stressed; they seem to do better. They seem happier. We donrsquo;t have as many dog fights,rdquo; she added.Staff burnout is also a concern.nbsp;ldquo;We get burned out. You know, we really do. We love our jobs. Wersquo;re not here because wersquo;re making a lot of money. Wersquo;re here because we love the animals,rdquo; Boutwell said.The shelter also has a surplus of cats and is encouraging community members to foster animals. Fostering provides a temporary break for the dogs and cats, reduces stress for the shelter staff, and allows the animals to spend time in a home environment.Fostering is free, and the shelter provides all necessary materials, including food. Those interested in helping can contact the Denham Springs Animal Shelter directly.Permalink| Comments ...read more read less