Police animal welfare officer Albert Honey has been told he is no longer needed.

Mr Honey, who has worked for Thames Valley Police for 19 years, has heard that his contract - which expired on June 1- will not be renewed.

The 54-year-old, formerly of Steventon, near Abingdon, has been off work since March 6 with stress and has been prescribed anti-depressant drugs.

Albert Honey and friends

Mr Honey, who was made an MBE in the 1997 New Year's Honours List for services to animal welfare, said senior staff had told him the number of miles he was covering across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire was costing too much money.

He said he was also criticised after travelling to Newport Pagnell on the M1 late at night to remove two dangerous dogs from a car.

He said he was also made to attend more meetings, despite being given more work by officers, including accidents involving animals and police raids where animals were on premises.

Mr Honey said: "It was affecting me mentally because I had the work to do and I wanted to do it. It just got on top of me. I wasn't getting a great deal of sleep. I was getting lower and lower. I went to the doctors and they signed me off sick.

"There have been lots of police officers of all ranks who have given me support. I'm really grateful."

Mr Honey said he might now lose the home he rents with his 27-year-old partner Sarah Silver and their 15-month-old daughter, Roxanne, at Kintbury, Berkshire, because he has lost his income.

"We're going to have to move right away. Neither of us wants to because it brings tears to my eyes.

"My animal career will come to an end. I can't do anything else - my interest is working with animals," he said.

From June last year, Mr Honey was asked to collect every stray dog from the Thames Valley area - outside his hours.

He could not do this alone so he formed a company - Animal Welfare and Care.

On March 29 he received a letter from the police saying they were bringing forward the termination of his contract - normally renewed annually on July 31 - to June 1.

Mr Honey fears officers who have not been adequately trained will now have to deal with dangerous animals. "If they come across a dog they know is going to be unpleasant, they are not going to be shy in using their stick on it.

"I had a two-fold job - the first was to protect officers against the dogs and the second one was to look after the animals," he said.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "Our contract with Animal Welfare and Care expires at the end of July this year and will not be renewed.

"The value of the contract is such that under current European Union legislation we cannot renew it without putting it out to tender.

"A reorganisation within Thames Valley Police means that we are changing the way we deal with animal welfare issues in the future.

"This area of work will be dealt with in a much more local way, working closely with local authorities."