Plans to close the Island's dog warden service have been put on hold - for the next three months.
The job of rounding up stray pets is to be transferred to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture's in-house pest control unit.
Proposals to scrap the dog warden's role are bitterly opposed by the Manx SPCA, as pest control officers have powers to put down animals whose owners cannot be found.
At present the MSPCA offers homes to animals unclaimed from the dog warden after seven days.
The charity's spokesperson, Margaret Mansfield, has welcomed DEFA's decision to extend the dog warden's contract while a solution is found: Clip 1