For Linda Harper, a self-professed &uot;animal lover,&uot; walking away from animals in a humane shelter brings tears to her eyes. That is why she works as a volunteer and board member for the Natchez-Adams Humane Society.

&uot;The driving force is those little faces staring at me because I know I can’t take anymore home,&uot; she said.

Harper and her husband, Ronnie, already have six dogs and three cats, including Maggie Mae, an Old English bulldog they adopted from the shelter this summer.

When the puppy was about three months old, someone found the dog in an animal crate sitting in the road, Harper said.

The Harpers also have adopted one &uot;shelter&uot; cat and adopted their other animals after finding them in their neighborhood.

&uot;I’m a big animal lover,&uot; Harper said. So working at the shelter &uot;is something I’ve wanted to do.&uot;

She began serving on its board around January.

And Harper said serving on the board inspired her to devote even more time to the shelter.

&uot;You hear all the horror stories about neglected or injured animals, including animals injured by dog fighting,&uot; Harper said.

So her goal is to &uot;save a life&uot; and &uot;to hopefully give these animals a second chance,&uot; she said.

Over the past few months, Harper has helped with shelter recycling and promoting this weekend’s society fundraiser Bark in the Park. The dog contest will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.

&uot;It’s just going to be a fun event and you can have a good time while you’re helping the shelter,&uot; she said.

Harper also volunteers by taking pictures of animals for the society’s fliers. At first it was a heartbreaking job Harper thought she could not do because it involves actually going into the shelter and seeing the homeless animals.

&uot;I can’t bring (them) all home,&uot; she said.

Many other people have the same problem but Harper urges them to volunteer anyway.

&uot;There are just so many ways people can help us and not have to go in the shelter,&uot; she said.

Harper said one of her goals as a shelter volunteer is to find a new location for the shelter.

Its present location is small and old and currently holds about 60 cats and dogs, Harper said.

She also would like to increase adoptions and to encourage the public to have their pets spaded or neutered.