Stray Dog Poison Bait Campaign in Vuda
“We urge Government to prioritise humane alternatives, collaborate with stakeholders including Animals Fiji and work towards sustainable solutions that balance farmers’ concerns with the safety of animals, humans, and the environment,” Ms Quimby said.
Friday 19 January 2024 | 10:52
The stray dog poisoning campaign notice pasted on a sign board at Vuda, Lautoka. Photos: Casey Quimby
Andrew Tukana says a dog poisoning bait campaign next Monday will address complaints from Vuda farmers who had livestock attacked by stray dogs.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Permanent Secretary said a notice was posted at Vuda Point notifying the public about the timeframe of the campaign and for dog owners to tie up their pets or keep them indoors to avoid consuming the poison bait.
“The farmers are complaining their livestock are being attacked, it’s a sensitive issue, because on one hand we are trying to grow livestock and on the other, we are thinking of animal welfare,” he said.
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“We have also worked with Animals Fiji to track and desex animals, in particular, stray dogs.
“We are weighing up options on which is the safest one to take, we work closely with animal welfare organisations.”
Vuda livestock farmer Shohab Khan said about 50 to 60 of his goats were killed in a year by stray dogs in the area.
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“Poisoning and shooting stray animals, particularly dogs, only results in a short-term temporary solution as new animals quickly replace those killed.
""Such methods also lead to disputes and social issues in rural communities,” she said.
Collaborative efforts between farmers, government agencies, and animal welfare organisations can lead to the development of constructive strategies.
This includes data collection for monitoring of effective interventions, targeted spaying, neutering and gelding and microchipping for pets and ear tagging for livestock.
“We urge Government to prioritise humane alternatives, collaborate with stakeholders including Animals Fiji and work towards sustainable solutions that balance farmers’ concerns with the safety of animals, humans, and the environment,” Ms Quimby said.
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