An animal rescue centre in the Black Country has been pushed to breaking point after police decided they would stop taking in abandoned dogs.

Rosedene Animal Rescue Centre in Rushall, Walsall, has been a lifeline for animals for the last 35 years. But the service in Radley Road, off Winterley Lane, is stretched to its limit because of the knock-on effect of a police decision to halt its animal rescue service in April 2008.

It means the modest centre, run by volunteers and reliant on donations, is in high demand leaving it struggling to afford running costs.

Now bosses are launching a desperate appeal for donations to keep it afloat.

Kayleigh Gallagher, aged 16 and a volunteer at the centre, said: “We have around 55 dogs here at the moment and we just can’t take anymore.

“It is also proving very expensive because the more dogs we have to look after the higher the cost and because we rely on donations we need all the help we can get.

“If we weren’t here these dogs would have nowhere to go and no-one to look after them.

“But we need the help of the public in providing us with things like bedding, disinfectant, dog food and anything else.”

She added: “It has never been as tough as this at the centre, times are hard. A lot of it is because the police don’t take in dogs anymore so we are getting a lot more to cope with.”

Kayleigh is one of seven volunteers at the centre who help to keep it running.

Volunteer Dave Palmer added: “People can actually go up to the centre for a day out and play with the dogs a bit and it is great.

“You take along some donations like dog food or blankets and it is a lovely day out for a family.”

Rosedene is an animal rescue centre although its expertise is in the care and rehoming of dogs and cats.

The centre’s wish-list for donations includes hay and straw; old bedding and towels, tinned dog food, A4 paper, envelopes, postage stamps, fresh salad or fruit.

People can visit the centre and see the work it does between 11am and 4pm weekdays and Saturdays and 11.30am and 3pm on Sunday.