Tom Connors thinks he answers the phone 50 times a day at the Carbon County Animal Shelter.

On Monday morning, two calls came in the space of five minutes.

One caller wanted to know if they accepted donations of bedding for the kennels, and the other wanted information on surrendering a dog.

The shelter is always grateful for donations of dog food, treats, toys, towels, blankets and cleaning supplies, Connors said.

The surrenders are another story, especially when the shelter is full - really full, like now.

Dogs must share some of the 16 kennels in the shelter located at the county complex on Broad Mountain in Nesquehoning.

An emergency call in late May sent the population from 14 to 29 dogs, including a mother with eight puppies.

The mother, Pepper, and her six surviving pups aren’t occupying one of the kennels, but have taken over Connors’ office.

Five of the six spilled out into the hallway in a flash when he cracked open the door to check on them. Even mom seemed to need a break, ignoring the pups and greeting Connors.

They’re almost ready for adoption. Connors isn’t worried about finding the little ones homes - he already has a list of people wanting a puppy, but continues to take names.

Finding homes for the adults, like Pepper, who was likely overbred, and the others, like 7-year-old Mama Girl, who has been in the shelter for about nine months, is harder.

Nearly all of the shelter’s dogs are pit bulls, or pit bull mixes, said Connors, who believes there are good homes for all of them - they just haven’t met the right person or family yet.

People wishing to adopt should call the shelter to make an appointment to visit, as workers may be called out to an emergency situation, such as when an owner passes away and police need help taking a scared dog out of a home.

That is what happened when workers got the call in May that doubled the no-kill shelter’s population.

Mama Girl, who sat amid filling from a stuffed toy, was abandoned and found tied to a stop sign. She fortunately has someone interested in adopting her, Connors said.

Another dog in the shelter’s care was dumped on Broad Mountain and ran scared for more than a week before being caught, Connors said. Workers call him Pops, because he was brought to safety on Father’s Day, he said.

Connors wishes people would call the shelter, if they must give up or surrender their dog, rather than leaving the animal along a highway to try to fend for itself - they seldom survive.

Often in an emergency situation or surrender, Connors can post on social media that a dog needs a home and find someone to adopt without subjecting a dog to the shelter, he said.

A shelter environment can be stressful for many dogs, especially after being separated from the only family they knew, he said. Having information about the dog, such as the dog’s name or whether they are good with kids or other animals, helps with the adjustment, he said.

The shelter also needs help, Connors said. Two part-time, 20-hour-per-week positions are open, he said, and volunteers are always welcome, especially now when the shelter is over capacity.

Those interested in volunteering should call or visit. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to walk and handle the dogs, but there are many tasks that people can help out with, Connors said.

The shelter is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Connors asks that people call first to ensure someone is on site. The phone number is 570-325-4828.