COUNCILLORS have approved a plan that would see stray dogs in Barrow kenneled for a maximum of three months in spite of unanswered questions on what happens to dogs after that time.

As the council continue to cut costs it has today moved to cut back services to take care of stray dogs to the bare minimum. It is estimated such a move would save around £2.7 million.

The uncertainty surrounding dogs that could not be re-homed caused a outpouring of sympathy on social media.

Fiona Mercer wrote: "So sad. I was only there yesterday to donate blankets and food. All the dogs in there were so nice. People should really think about re-homing a dog."

Another, Kay Jeffries said of dogs that ended up on the street: "Dogs aren’t just something you can dispose of."

Council leader Dave Pidduck said: "At a time when we are having to close playgrounds, toilets, facilities in the park and make other enormous cuts to our services, it is only right we should review the operation of our kennels to meet the statutory minimum we need to provide.

"Under the present kennelling arrangements, on average, each dog costs the council approximately £2,000."

The new policy sets out the purpose of the kennelling service as being to receive stray dogs, but only for three months.

Working with local animal welfare charities, the council will look to rehome the dogs and will only keep them for longer in exceptional circumstances.

Phil Huck, executive director on the council, said: "We hope they will be rehoused and I'm very confident they will be within three months.

"We've got dogs in there which have been kept for up to a year and we need to make sure somewhere is found for them sooner.

"We will double our efforts to find new homes for them."

When questioned by The Mail, Mr Huck would not disclose what will happen to any dogs which cannot be re-homed within this time frame, but said dogs will only be destroyed at the vet's advice.

Mr Huck said: "We only destroy dogs because of ill health and we will continue to do that.

"We don't destroy dogs unless they say it's necessary."