'Recession hits dogs'

The impact of the recession is having an impact on dogs in the UK, as pet owners are faced with the terrible choice of giving them up to be rehomed simply to pay the bills.

As more and more people are made redundant by companies facing economic collapse, the number of unwanted dogs is increasing, it is reported.

Jane Kershaw, who set up Rescue Remedies for abandoned dogs, told the Chichester Observer that the impact of the credit crunch had made the problem of homeless dogs even worse.

"A lot of people who have to move because of the recession can't take their dogs with them. There's also a lot of divorce and separation that coincides with people not having much money and the pets are shoved out," she explained.

She added that there has long been a problem of unwanted dogs being abandoned, but the recession has made that situation worse, as pet owners who would not normally want to give up their dogs have no other choice.

The issue has been highlighted by the plight of the Woolworths toy dog, which featured in several of the company's adverts before it went out of business.

The dog has been taken on by another charity to flag up the issue of rehoming dogs who have been left homeless by the credit crunch.