They were the nation’s top dogs. Demand outstripped supply and prices rocketed.
Everyone wanted a loveable Cockapoo but now these sad pooches are all searching for a home because the Cockapoo’s star-rating isn’t what it was.
More than 30 of the once-favourite dogs arrived at an animal charity within a few days, along with the Cocker Spaniels they’re bred from.
They were brought in by breeders with too many Cockapoos on their hands.
According to long-standing animal campaigner Sylvia Van Atta, 65, they were the lucky ones.
Some unscrupulous backyard breeders are dumping Cockapoos in the street and local parks.
Now Sylvia’s charity Many Tears, based near Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, is appealing for people to adopt members of this abandoned group, pictured with kennel assistant Sophie Grove.
It’s a far cry from the designer dog status that Cockapoos once enjoyed – boosted further when celebrity families like the Beckhams became owners.
Between 2019 and 2020 – prompted by dog ownership mania during lockdown – the average price of a Cockapoo rose by 168 per cent.
By 2022 Cockapoos were one of the most expensive dog varieties in the United Kingdom, costing an average of £1,336.00.
Latest dog popularity polls show Cockapoos dropping down the charts, from top of the pops to the high teens and twenties, replaced by old favourites like Labradors.
Ms Van Atta added: “The Cockapoo is still an incredibly popular dog, but it’s really a case of over-supply and people trying to make money from a popular breed.
"Now it’s created a real problem. We’ve taken on 20 extra staff to cope”.
www.manytearsrescue.org
