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A struggling mum on benefits may have been forced to pay £110 to reclaim her dog after it wandered off from home.

Sarah - who did not want to give her last name - from Bootle said her eight-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross, Missi escaped from the family home on Saturday, January 18.

The 40-year-old claims a neighbour two roads away found Missi and someone was contacted to see if the pet had a micro-chip.

However Missi did not have one and so the wardens had to be called, who are contracted by Sefton Council.

Speaking to the ECHO, the Bootle mum said: "We had two dogs, one who was over 15 years old but she died at around Christmas.

"I think Missi has been really missing them and wandered off from home.

"I didn't know where she was and missing over night. I was looking all over and couldn't sleep all night."

However, when Sarah spoke to the wardens the 40-year-old claims she was told she would have to pay a £71 reclaim fee - which she said she couldn't afford due to her current financial situation.

The pet owner alleges she was told by the wardens if she did not pay the initial £71 it would rise to £110 if she wanted her dog back.

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She added: "The wardens told me there would be a fee of £71 and then it would rise to £110.

"I lost my job at Christmas and I am on benefits, I get paid the 16th of every month.

"I told them about the situation and they just said this was the outstanding price and if I don't pay that it would go up to £110.

"I just think it is a joke you have to pay that much."

Sarah said she had to borrow the £71 off her sister as she was desperate to get her much-loved pet back.

She said: "I had to ask my sister to lend the money and now I am in a situation where I owe someone money. I was offered no help from them [the wardens]."

The mum also said she thought her dog had her collar and tag on when she wandered from home, but found it by the door.

According to Sefton Council's website if a dog is reclaimed within 48 hours of arriving at the kennels, the reclaim fee is £71 per dog and after 48 hours the charge is £110 per dog.

If the dog is not reclaimed in seven days by the owner it becomes the property of Animals Wardens Ltd who may give the dog to a animal centre across the North West for them to assess its suitability to be re-homed.

The ECHO reported a similar story this week where a pet owner had to pay the £71 reclaim fee as he was told he was unable to pick his dog up at the kennels he was being kept at.

Michael Sandells, 38, from Southport said he felt like he was being "held at ransom" and "punished because his dog did not have a collar on."

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: "We would like to remind dog owners of their legal obligation to ensure their pets are correctly microchipped, wearing a collar and identifying tags.”