The Mae Bachur Animal Shelter is currently housing more puppies than ever before, leaving shelter quarters more than a bit cramped.

Three litters of the critters arrived at the shelter virtually all at once, leaving staff to find homes for the 15 fur balls, who are all vaccinated and ready to be adopted.

"We are trying desperately to find all these puppies their forever homes,” Marjie Klein, the shelter's administrator, said Thursday afternoon.

Some of the puppies have been more popular than others, she added.

"Some breeds are adopted much more quickly than others, depending on people's preference, I guess.”

Two of the litters are Labrador crosses.

"We don't know what they're crossed with, but they are definitely Lab puppies,” said Klein. The puppies in the third litter are a terrier mix.

Klein said the shelter staff refer to one of the litters as "our snow bank puppies,” because they were left outside the shelter in a snow bank during the past winter.

Despite a tough beginning, the dogs are healthy now.

"They've all done really well. They're growing. They're big and strong,” said Klein.

She notes that while the pint-sized pups are adorable, it's not always easy to place them.

"With puppies, it can be a tricky situation because people are looking for something very specific, usually,” she explained.

"And I've found, in talking to people, that sometimes they're more keen on the older dogs because they have less habits or training that needs to come along with them, in some cases.”

In addition to the 15 puppies, the shelter is housing 25 other dogs, also seeking their "forever homes.”

Klein encourages anyone interested in adopting to go down to the Tlingit Road shelter and meet the animals.

"Everybody's got their own personality, and you've really got to spend some time and visit with them to kind of feel out who you'd be interested in,” she said.

From there, there's a detailed form to fill out, which helps staff find each dog its proper "forever home.”

Following the paperwork, shelter staff do a home visit, after which the application is approved or denied.

For approved applications, there is a $200 fee for "altered” pets, which includes spaying or neutering, micro chipping, first vaccinations and de-worming. The fee for pets that have yet to be spayed or neutered is $250.

The extra cost is to impress the importance of spaying and neutering pets.

For people who want to help out the shelter but aren't able to adopt, Klein said, there are lots of volunteer opportunities, like dog walking, cat socializing and working bingos or other fund-raisers.

For more information, call 633-6019 or visit humanesocietyyukon.ca.