THOUSANDS of stray dogs are being killed in the region every year because they are unable to be rehomed.

A report by the National Canine Defence League has revealed that 2,200 stray dogs were destroyed by local councils in the region last year.

Clarissa Baldwin, the league's chief executive, said: "The killing is sickening and has got to stop now.

"It's the irresponsible dog owners who are condemning these dogs to death.

"The real tragedy is it can so easily be avoided. There are two easy steps to stopping the stray problem in the North-East - number one have your dog neutered and number two get your dog micro-chipped. It's not difficult."

The North-East is the second worst area in the country for strays, with more than 9,000 dogs taken in by local authorities last year.

Dog wardens say that they are continually having to deal with very young puppies, indicating that unplanned litters are increasing the number of strays.

Lost dogs which are not tagged are also causing problems for local councils as they can not easily identify the dogs' owners.

Despite such large numbers of dogs being destroyed in the region last year, the figure has fallen by six per cent on the previous year and 54 per cent of strays were reunited successfully with their owners.

The league is working to reduce the number of strays by offering the region's dog owners financial help to neuter their pets and get them micro-chipped.

Towns that have been working closely with the league to reduce the problem, include Middlesbrough and Derwentside, which have both seen a huge drop in the number of strays as owners have become more responsible.

The league has also been touring schools to speak to young people about being responsible dog owners.

The charity is eager for people to consider getting a rescue dog rather than buying a pet from a shop.

The league has more than 120 dogs, saved from death, who are now looking for loving homes.