VETS are set to cancel their 24-hour emergency service because, they claim, it is putting a strain on their family lives.

Animal lovers say pets will be put at risk if they have to travel to find another vet in the middle of the night.

Anti-social working hours have pushed surgeries, which currently share the out-of-hours rota, to consider an alternative.

Father-of-two Martin Gabbutt, owner of Abbeydale Veterinary Centre, in Preston New Road, Blackburn, said he did not want to miss out any more on his children growing up.

Mr Gabbutt said the four surgeries in Blackburn, which share the duty, can no longer cope being called out in the middle of the night and handle full surgeries the next day.

While a decision is made, some surgeries have decided that after 5pm an automated message will re-direct callers to the nearest out-of-hours services in Bury and Preston.

Others are still available until 10.30pm, but switch on the answering machine for emergencies throughout the night.

Eunice Faulkner, from Blackburn Cat Rescue, said she had received a large number of complaints from pet owners.

She said: "It is only a matter of time until an animal will become seriously ill, or die, as a result of not being able to get to a vet in time."

The vets are considering an option where, as a last resort, they could still be contacted when travelling out of the area was not an option.

Other vets in East Lancashire still do their own out-of-hours service, with Burnley and Accrington vets still opting for a local rota system.

Mr Gabbutt, 46, who lives in Mellor with his wife, Lynne, and children, Georgina, 11, and Giles, eight, said: "It is not like I take time off each time I am called out. It is hard, especially at weekends when I have to say 'no children I can't take you swimming, I'm on call again'. I have known it destroy family life."

Chris Lord, vet and partner at Springfield Veterinary Surgery, Redlam, said: "We have not come to a decision yet because we have been running various trials."

The vets are due to meet again later this month to come to a collective decision on emergency treatment.