Animal activists say Paris Hilton is at fault for an epidemic of abandoned chihuahuas in California.

The hotel heiress started the trend of carrying tiny pooches around in handbags several years ago.

Animal shelters in Santa Barbara report seeing an increase of young women abandoning their pups. The system has now banned anyone under 21 from adopting a miniature dogs.

“Chihuahuas are not a toy or a fashion accessory. But because some people think they are – then realise they’re wrong – there’s a growing problem of abandoned Chihuahuas,” Lynnie Bunten, president of the Chihuahua Club of America told The National Enquirer this week.