An animal lover due to be evicted from his home today after taking in 38 dogs is worried some of the pets will have to be destroyed.

Roger Sutton, of Colwell Drive, Witney, was fined £2,000 for breaking a noise abatement order and ordered to leave his semi-detached house after landlord A2 Dominion was granted a possession order.

Neighbours had complained about barking and smells.

Mr Sutton has found permanent homes for most of the animals, along with temporary places for ten he intends to keep, since the hearing at Oxford Crown Court in April.

However, he still has half a dozen six-month-old puppies with nowhere to go.

A2 Dominion said last night it had offered Mr Sutton help to get the dogs rehomed.

But the 62-year-old feared if a charity took in the six mongrels they would be put down.

He said: “We are desperately looking for homes for them. The other puppies have gone because they are younger, but I am worried about what will happen to these six.”

Most of the other animals were taken on by other dog lovers, with Mr Sutton’s vet, Sue Mulvey, at Corn Yard Veterinary Practice in Witney, helping find new homes for many of them.

The ten older dogs will stay with friends and family members in the short-term, and he is hoping to find a more isolated home with larger grounds and few neighbours to move to.

Mr Sutton asked for an extra 28 days to help rehome the animals, but last night the eviction was due to go ahead.

He said: “I was hoping for a bit more breathing space.

“We have not really thought about where I am going to stay, I am more concerned about making sure the dogs are all right and they don’t end up getting destroyed, that’s the real worry.”

Mrs Mulvey said Mr Sutton was a good dog owner and said his animals were friendly.

She said: “My concern about the situation is if these dogs have to be moved out, they are at risk of being put to sleep.

"Obviously, he has ended up with rather more dogs than he originally intended but he has had the welfare of his dogs at heart and I have a lot of sympathy for him.”

A2 Dominion director Laurinda Hornblow said: “After the court hearing, we did write to Mr Sutton offering to work with him to arrange re-homing of the dogs, but this offer was not accepted.

“We therefore contacted the RSPCA and other animal welfare agencies for advice and support in relation to the welfare of the dogs.

“At the eviction, a dog-handler will be present to remove any dogs left in the property, and to place them in kennels from where they will be re-homed. The kennels have a system for re-homing dogs rather than destroying them.”

  • Anyone interested in homing the puppies should contact Mrs Mulvey on 01993 702014.