CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Some Mecklenburg County animals need help to fill their food bowls because their owners are bringing home smaller paychecks or no paycheck at all.

"I think I would probably live on the streets with my dog before I would give my dog up," said Dina Carr.

Carr and her son went to Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control and adopted a couple of dogs on Wednesday.

But a growing number of owners are doing the opposite. Hard economic times mean they're surrendering pets they can no longer afford.

"They come in here and they are crying their eyes out," said Joan Myers, who works the front counter at animal control.

Animal control is trying to help those owners and has come up with the idea of a doggie food bank.

"I think if they know that can help an owner who doesn't want to give up their pet by donating a bag of dog food, I think the community will get behind that," said Melissa Knicely with animal control.

Even though they are just talking about a doggie food bank and haven't officially started the program, you can help right now by donating food to animal control.

The agency is still working on the logistics of an animal food bank and hopes to partner with other charitable agencies and food banks so that more pets can stay home and not have to worry about getting adopted.

"We don't want to have to take in those pets, and we want people to be able to keep their pets," said Knicely.

"I think it's great," Carr said. "I think it would help people keep their dogs."