Invercargill City Council says it welcomes an SPCA investigation into its animal control procedures after two dogs were injured in its care last week.
The owner of the dogs has accused the council of mistreating them after they were picked up last Wednesday.
The owner said one dog's paws were so damaged it struggled to walk, and the other had been choked so severely that blood vessels in its eyes burst.
Council environmental health and compliance manager, John Youngson, said an SPCA welfare inspector will examine the city's animal control service.
"We've asked them to be completely open, and just go on with it with no preconceved ideas and just do a proper unbiased view on how we run our service."