California resident Gerilynn Aflleje was horrified when her 4-year-old Siberian Husky mix was killed by a local animal shelter over $180 in fees that she couldn't afford.

Her dog, Chunk, had been dropped off at the Stockton shelter after getting lost in 2013, she later explained at a city council meeting. When Aflleje discovered her dog there less than a week later, she said the shelter demanded $180 within 24 hours for storing Chunk.

Unemployed, Aflleje couldn't get the money in time. "We didn't only lose our pet. We lost a family member," she said.

In a number of cities across the country, animal control agencies are aggressively going after pet owners with big fines for small violations. Some hold people's pets until they settle their bills, even if it means they end up killed. Others leave the dogs alone but issue arrest warrants for owners who can't pay up.

The infractions can include failing to license a pet, owning a dog that barks a lot, or accidentally letting an animal get loose in the neighborhood. But the penalties are serious, often amounting to hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

So are the consequences. When owners of seized or lost dogs can't afford to get their pets back, they relinquish their rights to the animal, which can result in a pet being euthanized. Meanwhile, a CNNMoney analysis of active warrants from a sampling of 15 cities and counties across the country found thousands of outstanding warrants for small pet-related offenses.

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