licensing laws reached an all-time high last month.

More than 100 complaints about dog owners were recorded to Police and officials at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in June.

Bermuda's two dog wardens impounded 22 canines after their owners had failed to register them or mistreated them.

And the wardens even began an investigation into one owner who kept 13 unregistered dogs at his house in Pembroke.

The dog wardens, Leonard (Shinah) Simons and deputy Jeffrey Benevides, have been forced to work up to 18 hours a day.

Now they are wading through a pile of unfinished paperwork, hunting down owners who organise pitbull fights and prosecuting cruelty cases in court.

Yesterday alone, the two wardens dealt with nine fresh complaints about owners.

They impounded two more pitbulls during the day.

And they recorded new evidence about pitbulls whose aggressive behaviour even stops postmen from delivering mail.

The wardens revealed the latest trick to prepare pitbulls for illegal fighting matches was to have dogs chase scooters on the road.

They also found three pitbulls nursing injuries -- one with a ripped ear, another with a badly-bitten eye and another with old wounds and a limp.

"We're exceptionally busy at the moment and getting busier and busier all the time,'' said Mr. Simons.

"There were 100 complaints last month alone, and we believe that's our busiest month on record.

"We also took 22 dogs to the Government kennels. Some days can start at six in the morning. Others finish long after 7.30 at night.

"But it's incredibly rewarding work -- especially if you love animals and people.'' The two wardens face a huge task to track down the thousands of unregistered dogs in Bermuda.

There are around 600 unlicensed pitbulls alone. More and more strays are being found -- up to 400 a year -- and now there are problems with dog fights and pitbull attacks.

Here was yesterday's routine for Mr. Simons and Mr. Benevides.

7.30 a.m. -- Arrive in the office at Botanical Gardens.

8.50 a.m. -- First raid of the day, at Smith's Avenue, Warwick, where four pitbulls are being kept. Two, unlicensed, are impounded.

9.45 a.m. -- The pitbulls are dropped off at the Government kennels in Southampton.

10.05 a.m. -- Cricket Lane, Somerset. Wardens respond to a neighbour's complaint about "noisy, vicious dogs'' but the two pitbulls are well-kept and looked after.

10.45 to 11.30 a.m. -- Cleaning the Government kennels, a job the wardens normally rotate every day. They also put a small pitbull crossbreed puppy in their van as he has been in the kennels for almost two weeks.

11.45 a.m. -- Wardens find two pitbulls not securely kept on the Railway Trail, Southampton, but the owners are not home. Mr. Benevides sees bikes outside, checks with Police for owners' names and notes to return.

12.05 p.m. -- Eastdale Lane, Southampton. Mr. Simons catches the owner of six big dogs on his way out to work. He arranges to come back the next day, as the owner has not licensed the dogs or provided secure shelter.

12.15 p.m. -- The pitbull puppy is dropped off at the SPCA animal shelter in Paget, where he will hopefully be found a new owner.

12.40 p.m. -- Neighbours have complained about noisy dogs on Kings Gate Lane, Pembroke. The pitbulls are found to be unregistered and the owner is warned.

1 p.m. -- St. John's Hill, Pembroke. A caller has complained that a dog is left outside in the day, exposed to the sun. But the dog is found safe inside the house.

1.15 p.m. -- Back in the office to make phone calls during a working lunch.

2.15 p.m. -- Chaingate Hill, Devonshire. Wardens hear that a rottweiler has broken free from its kennel and run off to the nearby Happy Talk nursery school. The owner promises to build better facilities and licence his dog within 72 hours.

2.40 p.m. -- Three pitbulls are found with injuries, possibly from fighting, at a house on Club Road, Devil's Hole, Smith's. The owner is not home but wardens take photo evidence and will call back.

3 p.m. -- Return to the office to finish paperwork. Work ends at 5 p.m. unless there is an emergency call.