A contract for an animal shelter in Bolton has changed hands following a demand in stray dogs from large and aggressive breeds in Bolton.

The Bolton Destitute Animal Shelter said in a Facebook post that they no longer had a contract with the council for stray dogs in the borough.

The contract has now been awarded to Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home.

The council said that while they have had a longstanding working relationship with the Destitute Animal Shelter - due to the rise in stray dogs from large and aggressive breeds – they need to house them somewhere better suited.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We have enjoyed a longstanding working relationship with the Destitute Animal Shelter and we thank them for their continued dedication to supporting local dogs and cats.

“As a council, we are legally required to put in place a suitable service to deal with all stray dogs.

“Regrettably we have seen a significant increase in Bolton of stray dogs from large and aggressive breeds, including Pitbull crossbreeds.

“These extremely challenging animals need to be housed in shelters with the infrastructure, staffing and resources to care for them safely.

“Unfortunately, the Destitute Animal Shelter is not equipped to meet these requirements.

“With this in mind, we have entered an agreement with Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home who will take in all strays picked up by the council dog warden.”

The council also say that the main reason behind the rise in stray dogs from these backgrounds is down to people who are breeding, selling, buying, or abandoning aggressive breeds.

On the Destitute Animal Shelter’s Facebook page, they said: “The council have decided that Manchester Dogs Home better serves our immediate local area.

“We no longer have the stray dog contract for Bolton.

“The contract has now been awarded to Manchester Dogs Home.

“The charge to reclaim a dog is now £102.90 and you will also have to travel to Manchester, so it is even more important to make sure your dog is chipped, and the details are up to date.

“We are still accepting stray dogs and scanning them, in the hope we can return them to an owner, but if not, we will now have to hand them over to the dog warden who will then transport them to Manchester Dogs Home

“We will continue our work as a charity dog and cat rescue organisation.”

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