This growing trend is putting extra pressure on kennels already struggling to cope with rising demand amid a nationwide rehoming crisis.
The warning comes from Sam Simpson, kennel manager and trustee at Birkenhead Kennels, who said an increasing number of people are falsely claiming dogs are strays in order to offload them.
Mrs Simpson told the Globe: “We’ve also got a problem with people bringing their dogs down as strays when they’re not actually strays.
“It’s their dog or they know the dog, but they just want to pass the dog on basically and because we can’t always take surrender dogs that’s a knock-on effect from that really.”
She described the current situation as a “crisis”, and said demand for rescue spaces far outstrips the number of dogs being rehomed.
The charity, which is contracted by Wirral Council to operate as a stray dog facility, currently has 17 dogs in its care.
In the past eight weeks alone, it received 52 calls from people wanting to surrender their dogs—nearly one call every day.
Mrs Simpson added: “And if that’s us as a small facility, you can imagine the other rescue centres, they must be getting about the same.
“So at the moment we’ve got more people wanting to surrender the dogs than we have people wanting to adopt.”
Since 2014, the kennels have taken in 4,111 dogs, with ages ranging from puppies to seniors as old as 15.
The charity relies heavily on donations to cover day-to-day costs such as veterinary care, food, cleaning supplies, and utility bills.
It receives a small monthly contribution from the council for providing the stray dog service.
The kennels are “outdated” and “not fit for purpose anymore”. Plans to relocate were put on hold due to the pandemic.
A potential new site opposite Landican Cemetery was identified, but there were concerns about proximity to residential areas and noise pollution.
Mrs Simpson continued: “The facility is very old, though. It’s outdated. You know, it’s not fit for purpose anymore, to be honest.
“We were scheduled to move through the council. They were looking for sites for us and then COVID hit.”
The charity is staffed by six paid workers and supported by 24 volunteers—including those who help with walking dogs and conducting home checks for potential adopters.
Mrs Simpson, who has volunteered at the kennels since 2014 and has personally adopted seven dogs from the centre, said the work can be emotionally challenging.
She said: “You see some really sad cases coming in. Some dogs in awful states.
“Then, we get them better, they have the right vet treatment, they have the love, the care, the training that they need. And then you see them going off to new homes and it’s brilliant. It’s such a good feeling.”
The charity is appealing for more volunteers and donations, as well as help promoting dogs in need of rehoming.
Mrs Simpson said: “We advertise the dogs through our Facebook page or our website.
“We’re always looking for volunteers, for people for home check-in and to walk the dogs.”
She urges anyone considering getting a dog to carefully think about the long-term commitment.
Mrs Simpson said: “Members of the public seriously need to if they do take a dog on, can they look after this dog for life.
“We ask people to consider what if the dog has behaviour issues? What if the dog has illnesses? Can they cope with that? If you can’t, then, to be honest, I wouldn’t get a dog.
“And that has a knock-on effect then for the likes of us and all the other rescues. They are at capacity at the minute, you know.”
To support Friends Kennels, visit their Facebook page or contact the kennels directly.
