THE Lautoka City Council has opted to conduct its own trapping exercise because it says the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals services is too expensive.
Council acting chief executive officer Shiva Rajan said they would work in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture for the month-long exercise that starts next week.
"We have the equipment to trap dogs and their owners are given a day to claim their pets. Failing this, the dogs will be handed to the ministry officials who put them to sleep using injections," he said.
SPCA secretary Sher Bahadur said they had worked with other municipalities to get rid of stray dogs and only encountered difficulties with the Lautoka City Council.
"They have their own way they want to do things. We only involve ourselves in stray dog issues when there is a campaign to eradicate them," he said.
Mr Bahadur said in these campaigns, the dogs were handed to them when trapped and they were responsible for neutering and treating the dog for any disease it had.
"If the dog cannot be helped then it is put down. Otherwise, it is treated and the owners are given 72 hours to claim them. If it is not claimed, then it is put down," he said.