KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KC Pet Project’s leadership says they are being forced to make some tough decisions.

It’s considered a “no kill shelter” but KC Pet Project may be forced to euthanize some animals due to overcrowding.

It says the meaning of “no kill” is misunderstood.

Leaders at KC Pet Project say it’s been a challenging summer filled with animals in need of homes. As it stands, the shelter has 265 dogs. The ideal capacity is 140.

The shelter doesn’t have enough kennel space for that many dogs or enough volunteers to care for them all. Sometimes, the overcrowding results in heavy stress for the animals.

Forty to 60 new dogs are brought in for adoption each day.

KC Pet Project spokesperson Tori Fugate says on average $450 is spent on each pet. If an animal stays more than 30 days, or shows signs of high anxiety, it’s moved to a list of at-risk animals and its quality of life is taken into consideration.

“Nobody who works at animal shelters wants to euthanize a pet,” Fugate said. Animals are undergoing extreme stress here at the shelter and you have to start questioning if that’s humane for that pet.”

Fugate says the larger totals of dogs being brought in for adoption could be tied to a lack of affordable homes in Kansas City and people who can’t house their pets.

KC Pet Project makes an effort to promote animals in immediate need of a home on social media.

Karl Akers, who also works with KC Pet Project says euthanasia is a last resort.

“It seems like a lot of days, we have a bunch of dogs get adopted, and then, just as many, if not more, are coming back through the other side through intake and fill all those kennels that were just emptied,” Akers said.

Fugate reminds us Pet Project administrators are doing everything they can to get animals adopted. This weekend, there’s a “fees waived” pet adoption special — meant to get more of these animals to their forever homes — and out of a crowded shelter.