A north Wales animal rights campaigner is having to turn unwanted pets away from her sanctuary after being inundated with cats and dogs.

Sheila Stewart who runs the Capricorn Sanctuary in Penyffordd near Mold said it was the worst position she has been in for a long time.

Punch and Judy were abandoned on the moors

"I have more than 200 animals in at the moment, I can't take more in because I can't re home them."

She added: "We are so desperate I have had to pay to put a four month old labrador puppy into boarding kennels.

"People don't want pets at the moment because it's holiday time and it's surprising how many dogs go out with the furniture - they have a spring clean and out go the animals."

Ms Stewart has been running the centre for the past 20 years but she admits they have outgrown the house and out buildings.

Heartbreaking scenes

Three years ago committee members at Capricorn wanted to build a �100,000 state of the art sanctuary in Wrexham but they were refused planning permission.

Ms Stewart said: "If we'd got permission to build in Llay we wouldn't be in this position.

"We're constantly looking to move to bigger premises and are viewing a farm in Buckley at the moment."

The life-long animal lover admits she has seen some heartbreaking scenes.

"The one that sticks in my mind was a dog we called Rhys who came in after being force fed drugs.

Sugar and Spice were tied to the sanctuary's gate

"He was starved, beaten and had had cigarettes stumped out on his skin - he was found in the middle of the road screaming."

The German Shepherd cross has since been re homed and is leading a happy and normal life.

Most recently two dogs named Punch and Judy were rescued after being discovered on the moors in Llandegla with just a handful of biscuits between them.

Ms Stewart said it can be very sad: "At the moment it is difficult to find dogs new homes but it is even more difficult to move on the bunnies."

Thirty thousand rabbits were handed in to rescue centres in 2001 alone.

But the sanctuary owner, who relies on volunteers to help her, says she was determined to keep on going: "It's often heartbreaking but it's never dull and I love it."