ANIMAL welfare campaigns have long proclaimed that 'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas', but Bath Cats and Dogs Home says it is expecting a deluge of abandoned animals before, rather than after, December 25.

The home, based at Claverton Down, says in recent years it has seen an upward trend in the number of animals brought to the home prior to Christmas Day.

Val Germain, administrator at the home, said: "The last couple of years have been more busy before Christmas.

"People are getting rid of cats and dogs because they are going away, they don't want to pay the boarding fees or they've got some other animal lined up for the new year."

Mrs Germain says this trend often creates a dilemma for staff at the home unable to accommodate animals straight away due to long waiting lists.

The home's long waiting lists, averaging about three weeks, are down to the number of animals the home can house, currently set at 135 dogs and 100 cats.

Yet while staff wrestle with the problem of trying to house animals about to be abandoned, they must also try and assess the suitability of people who claim they can offer homes particularly in the run-up to Christmas.

Mrs Germain said: "We are more cagey about homing in December. You don't want people having a dog or cat at Christmas for the wrong reasons.

"We are very careful anyway but we tend to be a bit more wary in December."