Overpopulation of dogs is an issue in Fiji, similar to many other South Pacific and industralized nations worldwide. This presentation explores results from a door-to-door survey in the Tavakubu ward of Lautoka, highlighting the impacts of human behavior in maintaining free-roaming dog populations, including ownership apathy, indiscriminate feeding, and low compliance with responsible pet ownership practices. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding the negative impacts of “toxic charity” and emphasize the need to shift from predominantly shelter-based strategies and free-of-charge services to promoting responsible dog ownership and caregiver behaviors. Outputs of this study underscore the importance of ongoing evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) studies to understand how animal welfare initiatives can support community behavior changes that foster sustainable, long-term dog population management strategies.
This event will be recorded and the recording will be available the day after the event.
Speakers:
Casey Quimby – Co-Founder and Managing Trustee, Animals Fiji
Casey is an Animerican-Fijian with nearly 15 years of experience operating a shelter and multiple veterinary clinics throughout Fiji. Casey has been a pivotal figure in the region’s animal welfare efforts. She earned her Master’s Certificate in Shelter Medicine from the University of Florida in 2018 and has been at the forefront of data collection and population management in Fiji over the past four years. Her dedication to developing evidence-based, research-informed strategies has significantly contributed to sustainable and humane solutions for companion animal population management in local communities.
Dr Jessica Hoopes – Animals Fiji Volunteer
Jessica is a Canadian Veterinarian with over 10 years’ experience working in veterinary and shelter medicine and animal management in Canada, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, and Australia. Her experiences working in the Pacific Islands have underscored the importance of developing evidence-based, research informed strategies for addressing free roaming cat and dog populations, that are tailored to the needs of the local community. While currently working as the One Health Research Coordinator for Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC), she spent the past 5 years remotely supporting rescue groups in Fiji in developing a framework for baseline data collection with the hopes of informing sustainable and humane solutions for companion animal population management.
