Dogs Trust Newbury has launched an appeal to find homes for dogs before Christmas.

This comes as the charity reveals it has received more than 32,000 handover enquiries this year from owners unable to care for their dogs.

Dogs Trust has found new homes for more than 6,000 dogs across the UK in 2024 so far.

One of the dogs hoping for a new home before the festive season is Copper, a two-year-old bloodhound.

Copper is looking for a quiet home with a large, private garden in a peaceful area to help him cope with his anxieties.

He would be best suited for an adult-only home, with minimal visitors while he settles in.

Natasha Tarrant, manager at Dogs Trust Newbury, said: "Christmas is fast approaching, and we are hoping to find forever homes for as many dogs as possible ahead of the festive season.

"While the Dogs Trust team will make sure that the dogs in our care over Christmas are well looked after, with festive treats and gifts galore, we all know there’s nowhere quite like home.

"We are certain that there is a fantastic forever home for each and every one of our dogs, and we’d like to see as many as possible settled in their new happy places ahead of Christmas.

"Welcoming a dog into your home is a wonderful experience, but it requires commitment, both in terms of time and money.

"We work closely with prospective adopters to ensure they’re fully prepared to welcome one of our dogs into their home, and our team carefully matches each dog with a family and home that suits them best.

"And our care doesn’t stop at rehoming – we offer ongoing support and guidance to owners throughout their dog's life.

"At Dogs Trust, our dogs are part of the family for life, not just for Christmas."

For almost 50 years, Dogs Trust has been linked to Christmas thanks to the famous phrase 'A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas', penned by the charity’s team in 1978 in response to the large number of puppies bought as Christmas gifts and then abandoned in January.

Since then, it has gone on to find homes for thousands of dogs each year.

The charity no longer sees a large number of pet-shop bought puppies handed over in January, the last three years have been some of the busiest on record for Dogs Trust.

In 2022 it received more than 50,000 handover requests, with a further 45,000 last year, and more than 32,000 so far this year.