A DOG who was tied to the gate of an animal rescue shelter with a note saying "put him to sleep, he's no good to anyone" needs a new home.

Staff at the Worcester Animal Rescue Shelter, on Hawthorn Lane, Deblins Green, found Spud, a mongrel, tethered to the gatepost.

Now he needs a loving family to take him in and give him a good home.

"Spud is a lovely little dog - he gets very excited when you go up to the kennel," said animal welfare assistant Georgina Godfrey, who has looked after him since his discovery last Wednesday.

"He needs someone who has time to spend with him and can give him lots of love and attention."

The summer months are a peak time at the shelter, which has been open for just over a year.

"A lot of dogs are dumped during the summer because owners find boarding kennels are booked up, or they find the fees are too expensive, so when they go on holiday they abandon their dog instead," Georgina said.

And this summer has been no exception - they are currently housing 25 dogs in the 21 kennels they have at the shelter. It is a problem that is affecting the whole of the country.

"We are running out of space," she said.

"We have had to start doubling them up in the kennels, which is fine for some dogs, but it is not always possible," she added.

If you would like to give Spud or another abandoned dog a new home, visit Worcester Animal Rescue Shelter.

They are open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am-3pm, or you can telephone them on 01905 831651.