ANIMAL welfare centres across the North-East are struggling to cope with the huge numbers of unwanted dogs and cats dumped after Christmas.

Rescue workers said this week that they had been inundated with unwanted pets, many bought as presents.

Pauline Wilson, who runs the National Animal Sanctuary Support League (NASSL) with Ray Mackinlay at Sadberge, near Darlington, said: "We have got more dogs than ever before this year.

"It starts about ten days before Christmas and it just sort of builds up to a mini-crescendo round about now.

"It has been just totally mad. Some animals are unwanted presents, but I think also at Christmas, people take the opportunity to tidy up their lives.

"If people are having problems with an animal, they choose now as the time to get rid of it."

The centre is looking to re-home 18 dogs.

Anne Prosser, chairwoman of Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (Sara), in east Cleveland, said her small group of animal-lovers had been inundated with dogs and cats during the Christmas period.

She said: "We have had to place 14 dogs with just eight foster carers and we have had to put 14 cats with just three foster carers. We are absolutely crammed.

"We had one puppy, just seven weeks old, left in a bag in Middlesbrough, and another ten-week-old puppy found wandering the streets in the same area. We have called them Henry and Jed.

"We have also a cat which somebody threw out of a car. Even after all the publicity, after so many years, there are so many irresponsible people buying pets they do not really want."

But Kate Wilson, from Ramshaw Rescue Centre, in Ramshaw, West Auckland, County Durham, said Christmas had little to do with the number of unwanted animals.

"I have never in my 15 years' experience had an unwanted pup on Boxing Day," she said.

"But there is always an influx at this time of year. That is because, in the summer, children leave doors open and bitches get pregnant. When the litters arrive, they are often unwanted."

The centre has about 40 dogs which need new homes, plus countless guinea pigs, reptiles, birds and even poultry.

Sara can be contacted on (01287) 201005, the NASSL on (01325) 321855, and Ramshaw Rescue Centre on (01388) 834644.