The Brief

LOS ANGELES - A group of USC students has turned their off-campus homes into foster havens for homeless dogs and cats – helping ease overcrowding at Los Angeles animal shelters in the process.

It all started in September, when USC senior Andie Morelli invited her friend Daniela Soto to visit the South L.A. animal shelter.

"We ended up falling in love with Charlie, and we saw how devastating the shelters were … so overcrowded, so many dogs that needed homes, so we decided we’d foster," Soto said.

Charlie, a one-year-old Korean Jindo mix, became their first foster dog. Soon after came Laika, Murphy, and Elsa, and sister cats Pumpkin and Patch.

Morelli said the students quickly realized how serious the shelter crisis is in Los Angeles.

"It’s not the shelter’s fault – the

See Full Page