If one female dog, her mate and puppies are not de‑sexed they could collectively help produce about 16 dogs in a year.

In two years that number will even go up to 128 dogs if de‑sexing does not take place.

These are estimates put together by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Fiji which is now carrying out a program to help tackle the problems of stray and neglected animals in the country.

As part of the program, SPCA Fiji is teaming up with vet teams from the USA, Fiji National University and Ministry of Agriculture along with the Suva City Council.

The program will begin with the de‑sexing of 500 animals on the waiting list at SPCA and there will also be three more ‘outreach’ clinics around Suva and on Beqa Island.