THIS healthy dog is facing almost certain death unless more homes can be found for the large numbers of Staffordshire bull terriers being abandoned on the streets of Worcestershire.

The two-year-old brindle- and-white male Staffie – dubbed Bugsy by dog wardens – has spent eight days at a pound in Worcester. He is now on borrowed time because eight days is the limit that wardens can keep him.

However, they are unable to move him on to a rescue centre because they are all full after 36 stray staffies and related cross breeds were picked up across the county within the past month alone.

Bugsy is affectionate and playful but unless homes are found quickly for the dogs already in rescue centres he will be put to sleep.

Pip Singleton, rehoming dog warden for Worcestershire Regulatory Services, said: “These beautiful dogs are being abandoned in large numbers but are not being claimed.

“The pressure that is being put on local rescue centres to take them in is becoming overwhelming.

“In the last two months RSPCA Worcester, Dogs Trust Evesham and Forest Dog Rescue in Kidderminster have helped take in so many, but there is no let up and the staffies keep coming in.

“The situation is dire.

“The limited space in animal rescue centres is at a premium and there are short timescales to work with before there is no choice other than to destroy these poor animals. Another six staffies have recently been picked up.

“Please don’t dump your dog, and please do not breed from it.

“There are just too many flooding the market.”

Miss SIngleton said staffies were taking up around 70 per cent of spaces available at the county’s rescue centres, the maximum charities could take of one breed.

Miss Singleton said: “They have to be logical and work with other breeds too.”

She urged owners struggling to cope with their dogs to contact her for training advice or for help finding a rescue place for a dog rather than dumping them.

Staff from Worcestershire Regulatory Services vet any strays for any health or temperament problems.

Only suitable dogs are neutered, vaccinated and wormed before being rehomed.

33 of the dogs found between March and April need homes while two pitbull types and one pedigree staffie considered to have a dangerous temperament were destroyed.

Anyone willing to give a staffie a permanent home should contact Pip Singleton on 01527 881395.