Amsterdam, N.Y. (WNYT) – Gina Kline has been the animal control officer for the city of Amsterdam for 14 years.

“Everybody’s full,” she said. “Everybody has animals coming out of everywhere, people are dumping animals, there are animals reproducing that we can’t keep up with.”

She says this is the worst she’s ever seen it.

It’s an issue affecting many communities. The situation is so bad, some places have been putting stray dogs in jail cells, as NewsChannel reported in March.

Kline herself fosters cats for her group Amsterdam Kitten Adoption.

Elvis is looking for a forever home, and so is a trio of curious and playful kittens.

Kline says people are simply dumping their pets. It’s a problem likely made worse by rising prices.

“I think the prices have gone up so much, it’s crazy,” she said. “My dog’s food has gone up $10 a bag in the last two years, so I can only imagine that people are feeling that same struggle having to go out and get food, and some of them aren’t finding the food that they were feeding.”

She wants people to know there is help available.

She has bags and boxes of food donated by places like Target Distribution and Dollar General Distribution. She says people should not be afraid to ask.

“It’s a better option. It’s something we get donated and why can’t we help the community? Why can’t we use that? You saw how much cat food is in there,” Kline said.

There are low-cost spay/neuter programs and rabies clinics.

Groups like Fulton County Regional SPCA and Ayres share food and hold pantry days.

“To be able to give that out to the community to keep these animals in their homes, which is the best place for them,” said Kline.

There is an event for veterans on Veterans Day, November 11, at the Amsterdam Free Library. From 10:30am – 3pm, veterans can adopt a cat, adoption fee waived, plus they will receive a “cat starter kit.”

To ask for food, you can contact Kline through the Amsterdam Police Department.