MILWAUKEE— It isn't just people feeling the strain of 2020: Four-legged friends are feeling it too.

A Milwaukee-based adoption center says they're doing everything they can to alleviate some of the stressors for our furry friends, but they're in need of more dog and cat food.

Lucky Mutt Rescue's food supply isn't adequate to support all of the animals they're taking in.

Carrie Ann, who's been volunteering there for two years, says they've taken in more than 400 dogs over the course of the pandemic. 

For the past three months, she's been fostering a dog, Roscoe, who was saved by the rescue from a kill shelter in Oklahoma. 

While Carrie Ann normally volunteers at Lucky Mutt Rescue events, she's no rookie to fostering. She's fostered animals 48 times. 

The time of year she sees the most influx in foster requests? Definitely, she says, during the winter.

“A lot of dogs, especially between November and January with the holidays, get surrendered or we find as strays. So there is an increase this time of year, “ she says.

She knows there are many more animals like Roscoe who need help. 

But if the rescue is going to help more of those in need, they need help from Wisconsinites.

“We know that’s a difficult time for people and many feel forced to surrender their animals because of COVID and they can't afford to feed them. So we are hoping to provide them with food so that they can keep their pets at home," says Kathy Shillinglaw, who's the outreach coordinator at Milwaukee Area Domestic Control Commission. "The pet food donations go toward feeding our in-house animals and fosters. So there is a need for dry cat and dog food."

All the food on their shelves will be gone by Sunday. 

"Our food supply is just enough to cover the 32 dogs we are expecting this weekend. And we have 30 more coming the following,” she says. 

They're expecting more dogs from shelters like the one Roscoe was at. Lucky Mutts Rescue does not only take in animal surrenders in Wisconsin but also countless dogs that come in from other states that Wisconsinites are helping keep alive. 

“There's a lot of kill shelters in Oklahoma. There are no spay and neuter laws in Oklahoma which is where we rescue from. Those shelters get full very very fast so they look to rescues to help so that those dogs don't get euthanized," she says.

Over the next few weeks, Lucky Mutts Rescue is anticipating the arrival of 60 dogs from kill centers in Oklahoma. 

Even though that can be a tough thing to envision, the work that Lucky Mutts Rescue is doing pays off. 

They see it nearly every day, from the love of the pets looking for forever homes, and the love of their community. 

In fact, Thursday night happened to be one of those nights where they got to see first-hand, a happy ending: Roscoe finally found his forever home, and trotted off with his new family.

If you want to support the rescue by donating food, you can find information on their Dec. 19, Stuff the Van event, here.

For more information on how you can help animals in need, click here.