SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WKRG) – Right now the cages are empty, but Holly Morse said they’re typically full of stray dogs and the conditions are anything but pleasant.

“You can smell it walking up. You can smell it. There’s the smell of just wet dog poop. There’s no smell like it,” said Morse.

She and Ashley Finlay have taken their concerns to Spanish Fort City Hall recently, worried the dogs are outside in extreme heat with little being done to care for them.

“We wanted to help. Let us come walk them, take care of them, let them have people for a day and they wouldn’t let us do anything,” said Finlay.

Mayor Mike McMillan said he understands their intent is “nothing but admirable”, but says he can’t allow people to interact with the dogs on city property. The City of Spanish Fort doesn’t have an animal shelter. This is considered a holding facility, he said, and if the dog’s owners aren’t found within a few days they’re ultimately sent to the Baldwin Co. Animal Shelter.

Mayor McMillan, who is out of town and couldn’t comment on camera, said changes are coming, though. A new kennel has been purchased that will have inside heating and air that should arrive in about 8-10 weeks.

“It looks beautiful. I do hope that they move forward with that. He did seem serious about it. I know finding a location to put it because it is obviously much larger than what is over there currently,” Morse added.

For now, Holly and Ashley are temporarily fostering several of the dogs that were recently kept in the kennels. They’re hoping someone recognizes them and wants the dogs back home.