O'Connor shelter may be overwhelmed

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The impending shutdown of the Springfield MSPCA is causing an unwelcome ripple effect among other local animal shelters.

Barbara Hays, the Executive Director of the Thomas J O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center  tells 22News, the already-packed shelter has limited financial resources and simply can't handle thousands of new animals.

Hays also says that the shelter is "... desperate for community help right now. Whether htat is volunteers, adopting, finding foster homes, donating, we need the community to get involved here."

The O'Connor facility is run by the city of Springfield, so it's facing budget cuts and layoffs--which means fewer people to take care of the 200-plus animals they serve every day.