Animal shelters across Wisconsin say the economy is also taking a toll on pets.
Officials at Humane Societies throughout the state said they're near or at capacity with cats and other pets.
Shelter officials said when people go through job losses or home foreclosure they can't always afford to keep caring for a pet. In addition, dog owners are more likely to surrender their pets in September and October as kids go back to school and vacations end.
Heather Schmid, the executive director of the Coulee Region Humane Society in La Crosse, told Wisconsin Public Radio that her shelter is always over capacity with cats, but lately it hasn't had enough room for dogs either.
She said workers are doing everything they can to avoid euthanizing the animals.