AN ANIMAL lover wants to see better protection for abused and abandoned dogs.

Kath Gorick, who runs Abbey Road Grooming, in Abbey Road, Popley, has appealed to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to look at ways to hand more powers to dog wardens to allow them to enter people’s homes when an animal is in distress.

Her call comes after she had to watch a helpless dog spend days locked in the garden of a local property.

She told The Gazette: “When it is on your doorstep, it’s something you just cannot ignore. Knowing I work with dogs, one of the neighbours came to me but really there was nothing I could do.

“It is unacceptable to leave dogs and not look after them properly, and I feel that there are no laws that protect the interest of abused and abandoned dogs.

“The RSPCA cannot be everywhere. I want to see dog wardens given more powers to be able to enter people’s homes when a dog is in danger.”

Mrs Gorick put her case to the borough council last month. As a result, an overview and scrutiny committee, made up of councillors, will later this year consider what new powers could be granted to dog wardens.

Councillor Elaine Still, Cabinet member for the environment, said she agrees that more should be done to protect dogs. She told The Gazette: “I think local authorities should have more powers, but, of course, our hands are tied at the moment because all we can do is report it to the police.

“The RSPCA do have those powers, along with the police, to take control. But as the council, we are the eyes and ears on the ground and it is only right that we should be able to do something about it.

“I think this problem is on the rise, particularly with the economy the way it is at the moment.”