Close to 400 dogs were treated for parasites and over 200 puppies vaccinated by Animal Protection Society (A.P.S.) staff during a recent trip to Savai’i.

The treatment and vaccination of the animals was done from 2–6 August, thanks to funding courtesy of the British High Commission in Apia.

Responding to questions sent by the Samoa Observer, A.P.S. veterinarian Dr Harriet Thornton said that the trip to the big island was a success due to the various interventions that the staff did on the animals.

“We are pleased to announce that this outreach clinic was a massive success and throughout the week we were able to provide parasite treatments to 378 dogs, parasite treatments to 51 cats, vaccinations to 249 puppies and young dogs,” she said in an email response.

“As part of this clinic we provided advice on health, welfare and diet to help our pet owners keep their pets as healthy as possible. 

“We were so pleased to have the support and engagement of so many people from the Savai’i community.”

In a reminder to Samoan pet owners, Dr Harriet said the vaccinations and parasite treatment are important for their animals, in order to reduce the risks of transmissible diseases.

“Vaccinations and parasite treatments are some of the most important things that pet owners can do to keep their pets as healthy and happy as possible, as well as reducing the risk of potentially transmissible diseases and parasites in our human community.”

The A.P.S. staff also collected information from pet owners in Savai’i to store on the society’s database for future projects and services targeting animals in Samoa, according to the veterinarian.

She said their clinic at Vailima is open every week from Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm to attend to animals with their healthcare needs.

For residents in Savai’i who need their assistance, Dr Harriet said the A.P.S. staff can be called on telephone 22403 during working hours as well as on Facebook Messenger through the ‘APS Samoa’ Facebook page. 

The treatment interventions that the APS staff undertook in Savai’i wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the people who provided accommodation and the British High Commission. 

Dr Harriet said: “A.P.S. has many people to thank for supporting this clinic, from those who so generously provided accommodation for our team to those who helped spread the word in their communities about the services we were there to provide.

“Finally, A.P.S. would like to thank the British High Commission for their generous funding of this clinic and Acting High Commissioner Mr Ian Richards for travelling over to support the A.P.S. team in Savai’i.”