"We're kind of a pilot program ... a guinea pig project," said Temma Martin, a spokeswoman for the recently formed group, No More Homeless Pets in Utah. The organization represents 72 animal control agencies and shelters in Utah that have agreed to team up for the task.

In June, Utah became only the second state in the country to receive money from Maddie's Fund, a $200 million California- based foundation created to eradicate the euthanasia of adoptable homeless pets by 2010.

Maddie's Fund has tentatively committed $8 million to Utah shelters over a five-year period but will withdraw the funds if certain goals aren't met.

The target for this year includes having 21,000 more animals spayed and neutered compared to last year and 3,000 more animals adopted than last year.

In 1999, more than half of all animals admitted into Utah shelters about 46,000 were euthanized, according to Martin's group. The vast majority were either stray animals or dropped off at the shelter by owners who could or would not continue to support them.

Homeless-animal advocates estimate roughly one-third of the animals euthanized in 1999 about 15,000 were healthy and had no behavioral problems.

People tend to adopt more during the Christmas season, Martin said. But she cautioned that pets generally don't make for good surprise gifts and recommended that people select pets for themselves, not others.