A passer-by rescued the Rottweiler, which had cuts on her legs and belly, and took her to Babbington Kennels in Awsworth.

The kennel's manager says he fears there will be even more dogs abandoned this Christmas as the credit crunch takes hold and people decide they can no longer afford their pets.

Tony Sanderson said: There are definitely signs of extra dogs either because of people losing their homes or simply because they can't afford them.

"It's much worse than usual. I've read articles that suggest the same in other areas. It was a good job this dog was found so quickly – just a couple of hours after she was left.

"If she had been there all night it would have been a different story. She had hair coming out in tufts around her neck where the barbed wire had been."

The four-year-old rottweiller was found in a field in Strelley. She has been named Hannah by kennel staff and has been nursed back to health, but still needs a home.

Mr Sanderson said that, just two weeks ago, a 14-week-old Labrador puppy was found tied to a farmer's gate near the Westby Lane kennels. It had been left in the freezing cold over night. It was described as 'skin and bones' and infested with worms.

The previous week, a starving, heavily pregnant Staffordshire bull terrier was found wandering the streets and taken to the kennels
Mr Sanderson said: "She was carrying four puppies but they all died because she didn't have the nutrition to give them. She was emaciated, you could see her spine."

The Labrador puppy, named Charlie, is also still waiting for a new owner, but the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, named Bluebell, is on the verge of being found a new home.

Babbington Kennels takes in 40 unwanted or stray dogs each month.
If you are interested in rehoming one of the dogs, please call 0115 9324576.