Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Erbil authorities launched a cash-for-capture program to reduce the city’s stray dog population.

The Environment and Services Directorate invited residents with three-wheeled motorcycles or cars to register for the campaign through a formal contract, offering 3,000 Iraqi dinars (about $2.30) for each animal delivered to a municipal shelter based on the number of dogs delivered.

Participants must provide a secure cage for transporting the animals, as a condition for enrollment. “Safe handling is essential, only applicants with proper cages will be accepted,” the Directorate stated.

The initiative follows a sharp rise in stray dog population in many parts of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region. In Erbil, residents have raised concerns over safety and public health risks, prompting local authorities to launch targeted containment efforts in recent years.