The number of dogs arriving at the Scottish SPCA’s Dunbartonshire rescue and rehoming centre has doubled in a year, the charity says.

The centre, located off the westbound A82 at Milton, has taken in 58 dogs so far this year, up from 29 in the first half of 2021.

The numbers, contained in the RSPCA’s Animal Kindness Index, undertaken by the RSPCA and SSPCA, have sparked fears over the effect of the cost-of-living crisis on pets’ welfare.

Gilly Mendes Ferreira, the SSPCA’s head of innovation and strategic relations, said: “The research carried out by the RSPCA as part of their Animal Kindness Index is vital for us to understand key animal welfare trends and the Scottish SPCA is proud to have played a part in the development of this index.

“We have been lucky so far that we have not seen much of an impact on our services from the cost-of-living crisis but we are under no illusions.

“We know Scotland is a nation of animal lovers and people will do their best to keep their animals with them, even in the toughest of times.

“However, we fully expect to see a rise in pet owners who are unable to care for their animals or afford veterinary bills in the coming months due to rising costs.”

Emma Slawinski, director of advocacy and policy at the RSPCA, said: “We are on the brink of an animal welfare crisis due to the rise in pet ownership during the pandemic, coupled with the cost-of-living pressures biting - especially those on lower incomes.

"It’s absolutely heart-breaking.”

The Milton centre has cared for 503 animals so far this year and is now almost at capacity.

Find out more at scottishspca.org/our-work/dunbartonshire-west-of-scotland.