SO MANY ‘devil dogs’ are being seized across the West Midlands that it is busting the police budget, it has emerged.

Senior officers set aside £46,000 for the first financial quarter to deal with dangerous dogs that have become a status symbol for gang members.

But they have already spent twice that after seizing 126 dogs since April. And they are predicting 250 banned pit bull-type dogs will have been seized by next March – more than a third up on last year.A finance report revealed the £94,000 bill so far was almost half of the annual amount budgeted for.

“It is likely the Seizure of Dangerous Dogs budget will overspend in 2010/11 as nearly half the budget has already been used,” said a report to West Midlands Police Authority.

It said the area overspent by £100,000 last year.

A police source said they were a victim of their own success after taking more dogs off the streets to protect the public. In the most recent court case on Thursday last week , Mohammed Nasir, of St Benedicts Road, Small Heath, admitted eight charges fter police raided his home and found animals used for dog fights.

He has been warned to expect a jail sentence when he returns to court later this month. Police must meet care costs while the dog – evidence for any prosecution – is in their custody awaiting a court decision on whether it is dangerous by law or by nature.