Dogs can be in a rescue centre from a few days to several months. A one-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, Margaret, has been at the Blackberry Farm RSPCA centre, near Quainton, for about four months and has had no interest from potential adopters at all.

Now two animal charities have teamed up for the first National Dog Adoption Month to help find new homes for dogs like Margaret

Throughout August Blackberry Farm and the UK dog adoption website Dogsblog.com will work together to raise the profile of dog adoption.

Katherine Maling at Blackberry Farm said: "This month is important to try to promote the dogs and the centre because I think people forget we're here. People think about a different breed, where they had something else in their heads before coming. Some breeds have a bad reputation, but we don't take any dogs with behavioural problems. It's about changing their image.

"People think rescue dogs will have behavioural problems and they will get a puppy thinking it will be different. But we know our dogs, they have been assessed properly and we know what they are like. You are not going into the unknown."

Kim Bruce from Dogsblog.com said: "The campaign aims to completely dispel the myth that rescue dogs need pity or sympathy or that dogs in shelters are somehow there due to problems in their makeup, physical or emotional."

If you're interested in adopting a dog call 0300 123 0752 or visit www.dogsblog.com.