Part 1: Fort Smith Humane Society Faces Pet Overcrowding & Budget Crunch

The HOPE Humane Society is the only animal shelter in Fort Smith. The no-kill shelter, which has a contract with the city, is at capacity with hundreds of dogs living in pop-up crates wherever they can be safely kept while animal control brings in more stray animals every day. Part one of this two-part story examines the overcrowding at the shelter as the Animal Services Advisory Board gets ready to present its pet licensing ordinance to the Fort Smith Board of Directors.