11 Nov 2019

Samoa police consider training strays as police dogs

10:46 am on 11 November 2019

Samoa Police are planning to train impounded stray dogs as police dogs.

Stray dogs have been captured in Fiji

About 13,000 dogs have been impounded since Samoa's Police Dog Management Unit was established. Photo: supplied

Deputy Police Commissioner, Papali'i Monalisa Tiai said the discussions were "in the pipeline", according to Samoa Observer.

Currently, police dogs and their handlers were trained in New Zealand by police.

Stray dogs picked up by Samoa's Police Dog Management Unit are housed in a facility opened in 2017.

Papalii said close to 13,000 dogs had been impounded since the unit was established.

Most of those not claimed after four days are euthanized, though some are adopted by families.