‘STOP breeding pets’ – that is the message from Dorset rescue centres which are already inundated with animals.

The plea comes as Dorset-based Waggy Tails charity claimed some dog owners were asking vets to put their pets down after becoming bored with them.

Shelagh Merdeith, chairman of Waggy Tails, said that if people stopped their pets breeding that would solve half the problem because it would go some way to reduce the number of unwanted animals.

She said: “Vets often ring us and say a healthy animal has been brought in and they have been asked to put it to sleep.

“They are not supposed to put a healthy animal down but I’m sorry to say I think some of them do.”

She added: “The answer is to stop breeding – we cannot go on like this.”

However Mary Bull from Wood-lands Kennels in Bridport said a vet would not put down a healthy animal for no reason, but agreed there was a problem with irresponsible buying and breeding of dogs.

She said: “I have dealt with several vets in the surrounding area and they would not put a healthy dog down without having a very good reason for doing so.

“But some rescues are so full at the moment, it is becoming more and more difficult for those owners who do need to part with their dogs for whatever reason to find somewhere to take them on.”

She added: “Anyone who has a pet, the responsible thing to do would be to have it spayed or neutered and not to breed.

“Some owners think that it is healthy for a bitch to have puppies rather than having them spayed but quite honestly it’s for the future of dogs in general that it is much better not to breed.

“There are too many dogs out there that need homes already.

“If people want a dog they really ought to be looking for a dog from a rescue centre.”

Cindi McNeil, from Rushton Dog Rescue, said: “There is no reason in this day and age to breed.

“There is a specific breed rescue centre for every breed of dog – people that want a specific breed can go and find that rescue.

“They can contact me and ask me because I have a list of them.

“I would really urge people looking for dogs to go rescues not breeders.”

Lisa Samways, centre manager for the Dorchester-based RSPCA Taylor’s Re-homing Centre, added: “There are too many unwanted animals out there at the moment so we don’t want to be producing more.

“There’s lot of help out there to get your animals neutered and I think we need to be doing more to stop all these unwanted animals.”

For more information on specific breed rescue centres, contact Rushton Dog Rescue on 07870771694.