Transcript
TIPI AUTAGAVAIA: The dog control programme started some years ago. There was a temporary shelter located in one of the buildings located in the Tafaigata area in Vaitele. I understand it was closed and all the dogs that were there are now moved to the new shelter.
TIM GLASGOW: So the purpose of the new shelter is to take in the stray dogs, but will they be retrained or rehomed?
TA: That was very interesting from the Prime Minister himself, who is also the minister of police - who is the ministry working with the animal protection society and the Samoa tourism authority - and he said they are they are considering now a school to train dogs. It's a very good for money revenue too if you look at the first dogs that the government brought from New Zealand - they cost more than two hundred Samoan tālā. He said if you look at the stray dogs people might want to come and buy a trained dog.
TG: What sort of things did he say they might be trained for?
TA: He said if they are well-trained they could be used by police to help apprehend criminals and he was specifically saying about apprehending thieves which is a very common offence happening in the country.
TG: How many dogs will the new facility actually hold?
TA: That is something that the Prime Minister and the police are not saying at this stage, but I understand from the last time I heard about this shelter, the number at that time was about 100 stray dogs.
TG: Is it the first shelter of its kind in Samoa?
TA: It's the very first shelter and I think the government of New Zealand should be very thankful for their support in and their kind donation establishing this dog control programme for Samoa and I think especially the tourism authority should be... with some tourists being attacked by stray dogs and this is where the whole stray dog programme started.
TG: How bad is the stray dog issue over there in Samoa?
TA: Well currently you hardly see any stray dogs now because the police who are now in the operation of this programme they are always around with their fences to catch stray dogs and I think the families are well aware of how to take care of their dogs and families are not allowed to have more than 2 or 3 dogs and they must be registered with police with the dog programme.
TG: It sounds like a really positive move for the dogs.
TA: It's a very positive more, not only for the protection of locals and tourists, but also to provide welfare for the animals.
