Battersea Dogs & Cats Home this week issued a warning to potential pet owners who are considering buying a pet from popular websites such as Gumtree.

The animal charity is bearing the brunt of inexperienced owners buying dogs and cats on the internet and then abandoning them soon afterwards.

So they are calling for greater regulation of websites such as Gumtree, Facebook and free ad sites to stop them from providing an open market for people who want to make a quick buck by irresponsibly breeding or selling animals.

Liz McWalter, head of animal intake, said: "A quick search on the internet reveals just how easy it is to buy a pet cheaply and quickly without giving any real thought to the life-changing decision you are making.

"Buying a pet is not like buying a new iPod and we need to see much stricter guidelines on the sale of pets online to prevent thousands more dogs and cats ending up mistreated or abandoned.”

Another concern is the purchasing of banned breeds which advertisers disguise with erroneous names to avoid detection.

Potential pet owners should log onto battersea.org.uk to find a pet in need of a home.

Just this week an eight-month-old Bull Mastiff cross called Chance was brought into Battersea by her owner who had bought her less than two weeks ago through the internet.

The seller provided very little information about the dog’s behaviour, history or temperament.

When the owner got Chance home, she realised that Chance had not been properly socialised and she could not look after both her and her young family.

The owner said: “I did feel quite sorry for the dog and hoped that I could give her a good home. It’s such a shame that she has ended up at Battersea because the previous owner had not trained her properly.

"But, I have learnt my lesson and would look to get a new dog from a more reputable source in the future.”

Jack Russell Terrier Flossy was bought via Facebook in August. The new owner was told by the sellers that she was friendly and sociable but within two days, Flossy was at Battersea.

Before turning to the charity for help, the new owner had contacted the previous owner who said that he did not want the dog back.

Dogs and cats can live for up to 20 years and they require daily care, love and attention to be happy and healthy.

Potential pet owners thinking of going online should log onto battersea.org.uk to find a dog or cat in desperate need of a home.