Many people think to call the RSPCA for help but the charity, whose focus is on rescuing animals who are sick, injured or being badly treated, is urging people to contact their local dog warden.
RSPCA chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy said: "We prioritise rescuing neglected and abused animals and we simply don’t have the resources to come out to help with healthy stray dogs.
"As we enter our busiest season, we’re urging the public not to call us about healthy stray dogs as it could block our phone lines and prevent an emergency call from getting through.
