Hopeful future?

Wang said one way to reduce the number of abandoned animals is to have people sign purchase agreements at pet stores to ensure that they do not abandon their pets.

"Pets are not goods. It's not like buying a pair of shoes and throwing them away if they are old or you don't like them," Wang said. "It is a life, and they are family."

Hsu said that there are too many stray cats on the streets, and the government could support trap-neuter-return programs to control the population and help regulate the cat trade.

"This is especially so at animal hospitals," Hsu said. "They truly believe that selling cats will help them earn money."

Spaying and neutering dogs would also help control the abandonment problem, as a bitch can have a litter of up to 12 puppies. Cukor said the number of dogs they need to find homes for can get out of control "very quickly".

She also urged people to find a new home for their pets if they are unable to keep them. In May, Lost Puppies volunteers rescued five 3-day-old puppies from a garbage can.

"Please do not put your pet on the street or in a garbage can," Cukor said. "Surprisingly enough, we have had quite a few rescues where we have literally pulled dogs and puppies－sometimes only a couple days old－out of garbage cans.

"If people do need to give up their pets, try and find a vet, or a shelter, or a friend, anybody who can take that dog on－instead of doing that."

Liu said she would continue her volunteer work at the shelter even though she has turned 50, the age at which many women retire.

"I have done this for 20 years," Liu said. "I cannot just give up like that, and will continue doing this."

She said even though the conditions at her shelter were good for the animals, she hopes it's just a "pit stop" for them.

"They should go to good homes. Every dog wants to go to a good home, and not grow up in a shelter," Liu said.