DESPITE countless campaigns, Gwent animal welfare groups have yet again been left to find homes for dogs and cats unwanted at Christmas.

At Llanfrechfa-based All Creatures Great and Small, its inhabitants are having to double-up or even treble-up in their kennels and cages to make room for the annual new arrivals.

The sanctuary - which only narrowly avoided closure just weeks ago and even now could have to move if the sale of half the farm site falls through - even received 11 rabbits and eight hamsters to rehome in the run-up to Christmas.

Sanctuary manager Viv Harris said: "We are snowed-under with animals yet again. It never really stopped, but this time of year is always bad. One lady wanted us to take some puppies she had, but we simply can't.

"Torfaen council has helped us out, holding strays for seven days until we can have them, and we have got puppies in foster homes.

"One woman has got one of our older, six-month-old puppies on trial, so I hope she can take him. But it is still awful and it's so sad to see them."

Gwent Animal Rescue in Caerleon has so far had three dogs left on the doorstep, including a starving German Shepherd and a tiny Jack Russell dumped in the porch that secretary Bernice Jones fell in love with and decided to keep herself.

She said: "We usually have a lot of animals left with us at Christmas, but this year we have been so full up that we said to everyone before they even started that we couldn't take any more.

"Dogs in particular are dumped to make way for the Christmas puppies. March and April are also bad times for us, as the puppies are about four months old and they start chewing everything, so the owners can't cope any more.

"We have a no-destruction policy, so we will have to rehome every animal we have. We will start advertising for homes in the New Year.

"I hope we don't have any more abandoned here, but the message just isn't getting through that they are a lifetime responsibility."

*PICTURED: Volunteer helper Helen Watkins with three abonded kittens.