NATCHEZ — Euthanizing perfectly healthy dogs is a practice Natchez-Adams County Humane Society members want to avoid.

However, a growing number of larger puppies and dogs is pushing the facility on 392 Liberty Road in Natchez to it limits, humane society officials said.

“We’ve got around 140 dogs now,” Kathy Fitch, president of NACHS, said Monday. “We’re completely, completely full. We keep as many as we can possibly keep. We try not to euthanize any healthy animals. That is our goal.

“We do our best to get everybody adopted or transported. Right now, we are kind of facing a crisis because our numbers on big dogs and big puppies are very high, and the places we transport to don’t favor those dogs. They often don’t select them.”

A local push to get the animals into homes includes a “two for one doggie adoption” special where dogs six months or older and puppies 25 pounds and heavier can be adopted two at a time for $45. Fitch said the fee covers spay or neuter surgeries and rabies and other vaccinations for both dogs.

In addition to local homes, NACHS officials are working to find homes for local animals far beyond the Miss-Lou.

The humane society’s transporting effort links the local shelter with others across the country, many in Florida, Fitch said, so larger-populated communities have animals to adopt.

Fitch said animals sitting in the Natchez shelter for more than six months that have been advertised are not considered to have strong adoption potential.

“If we can get them on a transport truck and move them to another shelter with a higher population with people who adopt and have really good spay-neuter programs, their chances of good adoption are better,” she said. “Rather than euthanizing these wonderful animals that we cannot place locally, we’re exploring options and taking advantage of communities by moving these animals to shelters where their chances are adoption and living long, healthy lives are better.”

The Natchez shelter is open to the public from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Special appointments can be made by request.

Interested parties can also view photos of most available dogs and cats at natchezpetadoptions.com.

“We love for people to come out and walk the dogs and socialize with the puppies,” Fitch said. “Especially if people will come out on Saturday at 11 a.m., we have opportunities for people to exercise the animals. Every animal adopted is a life saved.”

For more information, call 601-442-4001 or e-mail natchezpetadoptions@gmail.com.