Samoa Animal Protection Society needs support for stray dogs

Transcript

The Samoa Animal Protection Society says it continues to do all it can to help with the stray dog problem in the country, but it needs more support.

Preparations are underway to ensure Samoa's readiness for the Small Island Developing States conference in September, which includes dealing stray dogs.

And last year, a study called for better management of the canine population in Samoa, after it found many tourists had negative interactions with a dog while there.

The business manager for the Samoa Animal Protection Society, Fale Neemia Smith, spoke with Leilani Momoisea about the society's role in helping with the stray dog problem.

Fale Neemia Smith : "We're still doing what we have been doing for years, like desexing. Our vets have also been out with our staff members to patrol the areas in town for any sick animals that need to be desexed and treated. We are also engaging with an animal welfare group from New Zealand called SPAWS, they're coming in August, to help us, visiting various villages to do some desexing and hopefully clean up around town as well.

Leilani Momoisea : And are there particular areas that you're focussing more on as a result of this conference, or is it kind of business as usual for you guys?

Fale Neemia Smith : It's kind of business as usual. APS (Animal Protection Society) does not have the resources just to go out and do anything special, but we are relying on other ministries to help us because we don't have the funding, the medicine and drugs are very, very expensive and we're not in the position just to go out and just clean all stray animals in town. So, we're just picking one or two days a week, just to do a patrol thing around town and see how things are looking.

Leilani Momoisea : And so I suppose if you were to help more, you would need more resources from the government, if there was going to be an extra effort made.

Fale Neemia Smith : Certainly, if we do have the resources, I mean even if we have a Ministry or a company that will offer APS all the drugs to go out and treat these animals, or perhaps euthanise the very sick animals, and desex the other lots and then find good homes for them, certainly APS would be more active. But because of funding, it's a problem, and a lack of support form other ministries, we can't do it. APS is quite happy to go out and do more.   

The business manager for the Samoa Animal Protection Society, Fale Neemia Smith.

Neither the Ministry of Police, which is the agency that leads the governments Canine Control Programme, nor the Samoa Tourism Authority, have been available for comment.