The popularity of 'wolf-like' dog breeds such as Siberian huskies, Alaskan malamutes and akitas has soared in recent years due to the success of the 'Twilight' movies, although animal charities are warning people not to adopt these pets unless they are absolutely sure of their ability to take proper care of them.
Last year, the Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisation had to re-home 203 of these dogs due to people adopting them without giving enough thought to the situation, only to discover later on that they were not able to provide the appropriate level of care.
Stephanie Brown of the Akita Rescue & Welfare Trust says the charity is currently unable to "cope with the ever growing number of akitas we are being asked to take on", adding that "they are a luxury to own and are not cheap to look after".
Not only are these breeds particularly strong, making them difficult to control, but they also require a significant amount of exercise every day, while they also eat considerably more dog food than other breeds.
