Some members of several animal rescue groups say the Collin County Animal Shelter is euthanizing too many animals.

They're calling on the shelter to implement a public adoption policy, which they claim would save thousands of cats and dogs.

For every four pets that come into the shelter, three leave alive.

One fourth of them are euthanized.

"There are far, far more people that can adopt, than there are rescue groups. It makes no sense to cut off one of the major avenues of getting dogs out of an animal shelter alive," said Patti Castleberry, an animal advocate.

When Collin County opened the shelter two years ago, the SPCA agreed to take adoptable animals from the shelter, when it has room at its shelters in McKinney and Dallas.

"The way that we're set up actually allows us to hold onto animals a little bit longer, to try to wait for space to open up at the SPCA or wait for space to open up at the different rescues," said animal services manager, Misty Brown.

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A quarter of animals that come into the shelter are euthanized.

Collin County shelter officials say they're working on a plan that would allow public adoptions.

Rescue groups say it's long overdue.

But SPCA officials say any adoptions the county would do must include spaying or neutering. It's the law.

"I think to put an adoption program in place that doesn't have all the necessary components, that is spaying and neutering before releasing those animals, would be a crime in itself," said James Bias, SPCA of Texas president.

"There are just not enough rescue groups to take care of them all. Even the SPCA, with all their really great facilities and their big facilities, they can't do it either," said Castleberry.

Those trying to change the no adoption policy say with space at a premium during summer months, more animals are likely to die.

E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com.