PHOTOS | Dogs, like their former owners, suffer in Venezuela

The food crisis is forcing many to leave their pets behind.

Venezuelan is a nation of shortages where daily routines include waiting in long lines for water, medicine and dwindling food stuffs.The shortages meanmanyare simply unable tofeed their families. They have also ledto a majorinflux at animal shelterslike this oneinLosTeques, just south of Caracas.

Dog food is beyond the reach of many Venezuelans.

A 20-kilogram bag of dog food can costaround $50 US at the black market exchange rate, Reuters reports, which puts itout of reach for many inVenezuela.

This dog, namedDuke, had been at the shelter for about five months before he escapedfrom his kennel and was killed in a fight.

Maria Artegna (in the green shirt in the photo above) said hundreds of skinny dogs have beendropped off at the shelter, which she started after thestrays she took in, likeBolibomba below,took over her home.

"People are abandoning their dogs because they can't afford food and because they're leaving the country."

Volunteers arrive daily to donate and help distribute food to the dogs.

Some of the dogs atArtegna's shelter have been there for years, but these daysshe says new ones, including pedigree breeds, are arrivingby the hour invehicles driven by people headed to greener pastures beyond Venezuela's borders.

Mancha, above, was named for the black "stain"over his eye. Maria Silva (in the pink shirt) said she was an aggressive dog and died about a week after this photo was taken.Pintica, below, was named for her spots. Silva said she was the "posh girl" of the shelter and did not like to get her feet wet. Pinticia also died after her photo was taken.

The pets' plight comes despite pushesto protect animalrights.

In 2013, President Nicolas Maduro set up Mission Nevado named for independence hero Simon Bolivar's dog to rescue and protect strays. But times are hard now andeven the police are rationing food for sniffer dogs.

This dog, namedEnfermera, was found by a nurse and now serves as the shelter guard dog.

This dog was named Reuters.

The stray got her name because she was brought to the shelter when Reuters photographer Carlos Garcia Rawlins was shooting these pictures.

"She is a puppy, super happy, with a lot of energy and wants to play with the others all the time even if they are bigger than her," said Silva.