LONDON - Britain may be a nation of animal lovers, but charities here are reporting a sharp rise in the number of pets abandoned as owners struggling with the downturn find they can no longer afford them.

Stretched animal welfare organisations fear the situation will only get worse as Britain sinks into recession this year, and are offering advice to help owners manage their costs and avoid losing their beloved furry friends.

"We have had people bringing in animals, saying they are their pets but they just can't afford to look after them any more," said Leyla Rutter, chief executive of the Newcastle Cat and Dog Shelter in north-eastern England.

"There have been cases where people have been evicted from their homes, and can't take their animals with them. For them it's heart-breaking but they have to give their animals up."

The shelter took in more than 70 pets over Christmas and New Year's Eve, many more than is usual for this time of year. And the pattern is repeated across Britain -- at a time when winter temperatures are plummeting.

National animal welfare charity Blue Cross said the number of people giving up their animals because they faced financial difficulties had gone up by 56 percent in 2008 on the previous year, from 100 to 156 animals.

There has also been a 67 percent increase in the number of animals simply abandoned in the street, including one cat left in a bin bag in a skip.

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London last month reported an increase of more than 1,000 in the number of stray dogs being found on the streets of the capital, blaming the downturn as well as a change in laws relating to strays.

Almost half of households in Britain have a pet, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association, and there are about 27 million domestic animals ranging from cats and dogs to hamsters, horses, rats, goldfish and snakes.

Dogs and cats are the most popular -- there are 7.3 million dogs and 7.2 million cats in Britain -- with many of them chosen for companionship.

But as jobs are cut and credit tightens, the cost of keeping a pet can become a strain, particularly if it falls ill. Blue Cross has seen a surge in people inquiring about help with veterinary care and fees.

"These figures suggest that sadly our pets are starting to hit hard times, along with much of the country," Blue Cross chief executive Kim Hamilton said.

The home in Battersea is offering advice to cash-strapped owners, including giving dogs and cats dry food rather than tins and buying in bulk to save money, as well as avoiding expensive toys and bedding that most did not need.

"Cats really like to snuggle down with a blanket for a sleep in a cardboard box, so you really don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive beds as your cat won’t know the difference," said its head of cats Kirsty Walker.