Experts have put the extraordinary increase down to the cost of living squeeze, soaring vet bills and a wave of ‘pandemic puppies’ now being given up by their owners.

The rise may cause a financial headache at Norwich City Council, which has a statutory duty to collect and house strays.

The number of strays on the streets of Norwich has surged since 2021 (Image: Newsquest)

Figures from the authority show that just four stray dogs were reported in 2021. Last year, the number was 164.

Of those, 62 were recovered by contractors working for the council. And of those, just nine were returned to their owners, with the others put up for rehoming.

This return rate of 14.5pc is a sharp fall from the previous year, when it was 37.5pc.

A spokesman for Norwich City Council, which has a statutory duty to collect and house stray dogs, said there were a number of factors behind the increase in abandonments and the poor return rates.

This includes........

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