NATCHEZ — Without the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society, the Miss-Lou might be completely overrun with stray dogs and cats that spread disease, shelter manager Lena McKnight said.

McKnight said the area does not have enough adopters to support the stray cat and dog population.

“Our area is just stricken with pet population problems,” McKnight said. “That’s why we depend on our transport program to transport the animals to other states where they do not have the overpopulation problems.”

The transportation program began five years ago and last year transported its 3,000th animal out of the area for adoption.

Though animals are transported, the shelter also has local needs. McKnight said right now the shelter’s needs are kitten food, cat litter, dog toys and blankets for the winter.

Items can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Tuesday through Saturday at the shelter, located at 475 Liberty Road.

Monetary donations are also always welcome, McKnight said.

“They help pay for everything — the electric bill, the water bill and the vaccines we give to our animals,” she said. “The adoption fee only covers the surgery, not the vaccines.”

Donations can be done online at www.natchezpetadoptions.org, or by mail at NACHS, P.O. Box 549, Natchez, MS, 39121.

On the website, you can also sign up for a monthly donation pledge.

McKnight said the number of animals at the shelter fluctuates from approximately 75 to 100 per day. The shelter cares for 2,000 animals per year.

For those looking to adopt, McKnight said the shelter has plenty of kittens and adult cats, as well as dogs and puppies. In two weeks, McKnight said two litters of puppies would be available. Right behind those 14 puppies will be another 11, she said.

The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday for adoptions.

McKnight said volunteers are always welcome.

“Most of the volunteers are helping us clean, do the laundry and some bathe the dogs,” McKnight said. “But a lot do socialize and walk the dogs. A lot of animals need socialization.”

McKnight said many of the animals have not been exposed to a lot of people.

“This lets them learn to trust people again so they can become highly adoptable,” McKnight said.

McKnight said the shelter has volunteer applications and she would contact volunteers, for example to help with an upcoming 5K trail run at Jefferson College on Jan. 13. McKnight said you could also call the shelter at 601-442-4001 and set up an appointment.

The nonprofit shelter is primarily funded by local donations.

“Our focus is on caring for and getting an animal healthy,” McKnight said. “We rehabilitate, vaccinate and turn them into a very healthy and adoptable animal.

“Without that, you’d have a lot of diseased and starving stray cats and dogs running around. It would be disastrous.”