The Powell animal shelter has an “unheard of” number of dogs at the shelter right now.

City of Powell/Moyer Animal Shelter director Elfriede Milburn told Park County commissioners Tuesday while requesting funding for the year that the shelter has 15 dogs, which is more than they even have kennels for.

“We have two dogs in one kennel because we don't have enough,” she said. “We've been here 26 years and this is unheard of for us.”

She said after a man caught two dogs to take to the shelter, she asked the Park County Animal Shelter in Cody if there was room, and staff there said yes. Then the same man caught more dogs, Milburn said, and since the Cody shelter was closed, those went to Powell.

The shelter also has 26 cats, and for the last year has been lacking the large amount of free food it used to receive on a monthly basis from Walmart.

Commissioner Lloyd Thiel suggested she ask Downhome Discount Grocers in Cody and Powell to see if the stores would help.

Milburn said even with having so many dogs, staff will not let someone who is just going to put the dog on a tether instead of a fenced yard adopt one.

“We don't want people to take a dog just because,” she said.

Staff members and volunteers are trying to get more dogs out into the community to be adopted — Milburn said they recently started a program where they put bandannas on dogs they take to various events that show the dog is available to adopt.

However, with a small group of staff and volunteers, she said it's not easy to do fundraising or larger adoption events while also carrying for so many animals.

Milburn was at the commission meeting seeking financial assistance along with eight other nonprofit organizations.