HEARTS are ruling heads in the rush to re-home dogs found at Johanna Price's illegal puppy farm.

The RSPCA said many of the 500 enquiries about re-homing the dogs do not meet the strict criteria needed.

The 30 dogs at Ashley Heath have missed out on the socialisation enjoyed by other pets after being raised in kennels since they were seized in March 2006.

Jo Barr, RSPCA press officer, said: "If you are looking for a dog without challenges these are not for you."

Price, 71, was convicted of 15 counts of animal cruelty and one count of illegal breeding and banned from keeping dogs for life earlier this month (Jan 2008).

Her Shelley Road home in Boscombe, Bournemouth, housed 59 dogs in cramped, faeces-ridden cages.

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People looking to home the dogs need to be at home all day, they need to have owned dogs before, and they need to be committed to looking after dogs who are nervous.

Jo Barr said: "They haven't enjoyed the traditional home life so they are not used to doorbells, washing machines or hoovering, and may have challenging behaviour."

She said potential owners need to be committed to house training the dogs and to visiting them several times before being able to take them home.

She added: "If you have read about the case and feel strongly you could perhaps help in another way, by volunteering in all sorts of ways, or making donations of food or money."

Some of the dogs are in animal centres in other regions.