A charity has told how the trend to owning some breeds of dogs has lead to a huge increase in the number of dumped pets.

Help for Abandoned Animals (HfAA), based in Angus, Scotland, has told how the charity is straining under the increase in Staffordshire bull terriers that it has taken in.

Figures from the charity show that over half of all dumped dogs it cares for are of this breed or cross-bred with a bull terrier.

Ian Robb, chairman of the charity, stated that some owners buy the animals as "status symbols" because of the mistaken belief that they are an intimidating breed of dog.

"They are just being dumped and in Angus it is getting totally and utterly out of control," he said.

"This bad reputation has been built up but they are a really good breed – there is not a bad puppy born, it is the way they are brought up."

Sainsbury's recently stated that the number of small dogs being insured in the UK has soared due to their popularity with celebrities such as Paris Hilton.