MOORE COUNTY — There is no space left in the Moore County animal shelter, and that means thousands of dogs and cats are put to sleep each year.

There are up to five or six animals in some of the cages. Workers double them up to try and keep from euthanizing as many animals as possible.

"We probably euthanize 3,000 to 3,500 a year," says Kim Smith, a worker at the animal shelter.

The 29-year-old animal shelter cannot keep up with the growing number of unwanted animals. The building is so crowded that workers actually have to euthanize cats and dogs right in front of the other animals.

"We put sheets over the top to where they can't see, but you know they're smart," says Wendy Mabe, an animal shelter worker. "They sense things. You know even having a sheet over them, they sense it."

The county's humane society is saving money to build a new $1 million shelter. Currently, they are spending some of the money fixing a leaky roof and other parts of the building that are falling apart.

"We have no quarantine facilities for sick animals or bite animals," Smith says. "We need quarantine runs that we don't have."

Humane Society officials say they must find a new home soon or they will go broke fixing their current one. The new shelter would be twice the size of the existing one.

Before they can began building it, the Humane Society must first get approval from the Southern Pines Village Council which is expected to vote on the location in April.