Animal shelters are full across the country, and Charlotte is no exception.

State of play: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control is at critical capacity for dogs. It’s an issue the center has been struggling with for the last two years.

Driving the news: AC&C will start its second phase of renovations this summer. This means the center will be short about 50 dog kennels during construction.

Why it matters: AC&C says it may have to euthanize dogs due to a lack of space. Plus, July and August are big months for dogs being taken to the shelter.

Zoom out: AC&C’s intake dropped during the height of the pandemic because of an increase in adoptions — but it has since surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

• AC&C took in 1,500 dogs from January to May. By comparison, from January to May 2019, AC&C took in 1,300 dogs.
• “This is the fullest we have seen our shelter,” AC&C director Josh Fisher told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday.

Between the lines: Charlotte has tons of new housing, and thousands of people move here every year. But apartments and other rentals often restrict certain dogs, particularly pit bulls, as Axios’ Alexis Clinton reported.

Here are seven ways you can help:

1. Foster. You can decide the length of time the dog stays with you.

2. Staycation. Take a dog home for up to five days.

3. Adopt. This is a long-term commitment.

4. Don’t bring lost dogs to the shelter. Instead, file a missing dog report on AC&C’s website.

5. ID tag and microchip your pet — get their chip checked and make sure your current information, like phone number and address, are linked to the chip.

6. Volunteer. AC&C needs volunteers to walk the dogs. Find out how you can volunteer here.

7. Spread the word and let others know how to help.

Of note: AC&C launched a dog kennel dashboard, which shows a number of factors, including, as of June 13:

• Total dogs: 326.
• The number of total dogs in the shelter: 198.
• Total number of dogs being fostered: 104.
• Total number of dogs on a staycation: 24.
• The five dogs who have been with AC&C the longest will be featured on the dashboard, which will be updated every Monday morning and every Friday morning.

Zoom out: While the emphasis is on dogs, cats need homes too. Kathy Clarke, a retired teacher, has fostered 195 cats since 2009. She’s a regular volunteer with AC&C.