An Animal Shelter is a dangerous place to volunteer when you have a weekness for animals
I have been working there for 3 weeks on Wed and Thurs. I have already put a 4-5month old Lab mix on hold. She came in as a stray on 11/18/08 and the owner has 5 days to claim their dog before the dog is available for adoption. If she is not claimed then at the end of the 5 day hold I am allowed first choice to adopt.
I do hope her owner finds her. Anymore it's so hard to know if someone lost their pet by accident or due to financial problems just dropped the animal off somewhere thinking someone would take it in. It is becoming very common for pet owners to give up their pets because they can no longer afford them.
I strongly recommend spaying/neutering your pet. The Shelter I work at has 350 cats/kittens and another 120 cats/kittens in foster homes. Cat/kittens out number the dogs but there is a large number of dogs at the shelter.