Apenisa Waqairadovu 
[Photo: FILE]
More than 2,000 dogs have been captured and desexed this year as the Ministry of Agriculture works to address Fiji’s growing stray dog problem.
Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Dr Andrew Tukana says while progress is being made, reducing the population will take time.
He says desexing remains one of the key strategies to control the number of stray dogs and prevent further breeding.
The issue was raised in Parliament during discussions on proposed amendments to the Public Health Act, following concerns over stray dog attacks and community safety.
“The solution is a bit long term… once you desex, they don’t reproduce, so it won’t just happen overnight.”
The Ministry says it is working alongside municipalities and animal welfare organisations, while reminding dog owners to properly license and restrain their animals.
Dr Tukuna says poisoning campaigns are no longer carried out in urban areas, but may still be considered in rural farming communities where stray dogs pose a threat to livestock.
“We do not do that anymore in the city areas or open centres. We only do them on request from farms or farmers in the rural areas.”
Dr Tukuna says addressing the stray dog issue requires stronger cooperation between government agencies, local authorities and communities.
He says responsible pet ownership remains critical in reducing the number of stray dogs across the country.
