Activists with Cleveland for a No Kill City said kennels and cages are critically overcrowded at Cleveland Animal Control and "we are begging the community to take action to help reduce the numbers of animals being held at the pound.

"We fear that if overcrowding at the pound isn't reduced through adoptions, the killing of healthy dogs and cats could resume this week.

"Since the inception of Cleveland for a No Kill City in June, fewer and fewer adoptable pets have been killed at Cleveland Animal Control. In the last couple months, few to no animals have died at the pound because of overcrowding. This could all change as early as Monday morning, activists fear, unless there is an outpouring of adoptions from the community.

"The best way to save an animal and help ensure overcrowding isn't fatal is to select the pet you wish to adopt via Cleveland for a No Kill City's Facebook page and call the Cleveland for a No Kill City hotline to have the animal put on Monday morning's safe list. The more animals on the safe list Monday morning, the less likely it is that animals will be killed to alleviate overcrowding at the pound."

Photographs and descriptions of all animals available for adoption through Animal Control can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/clevelandforanokillcity. To put a pet on the safe list, call (423) 464-6070.

The adoption fee is $50 and includes spay/neuter, first vaccinations and de-worming.

In addition, animal control will open at 11 a.m. on Monday morning for adoptions. Cleveland Animal Control is located at 360 Hill Street SE.

Sponsorships of adoption fees also save lives can be made to three funds at animal control: adoption sponsorship, barn cat sponsorship or wounded/sick animals sponsorship, it was stated.

Cleveland for a No Kill City "is working to put in place the 11 steps in the No Kill Equation. These 11 steps will reduce the numbers of animals going into animal control and help facilitate different methods for getting animals out of the pound and into loving families. In the meantime, the group of grassroots activists has driven the numbers of animals killed at animal control to an all-time low through an aggressive adoption program."