An inter-agency partnership targeting stray animals and dubbed ‘Operation Vesu Manumanu’ was launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Dr Mahendra Reddy yesterday.
Speaking at a press conference, Minister Reddy thanked the Fiji Police Force, the Republic of the Fiji Military Forces, Land Transport Authority of Fiji, Biosecurity Authority of Fiji, and Fiji Roads Authority for coming on board to partner in this joint exercise.
“Operation Vesu Manumanu is divided into three phases. Phase One will focus on creating awareness and community engagement. This Phase will be led by our colleagues from the Fiji Police Force. Through their community policing network, various teams that include Agriculture, Republic of the Fiji Military Forces, Land Transport Authority of Fiji, Biosecurity Authority of Fiji and Fiji Roads Authority would hold pocket meetings and talanoa sessions with communities and livestock owners in hotspot areas. This Phase will last for three weeks,” he said.
He stated during this period, farmers would be encouraged to brand all their animals and livestock owners would also be requested to confine their animals.
“They would also be made aware of the animal laws and the consequences of non-compliance.”
Dr Reddy added that Phase Two of this operation involved the capturing of stray animals.
“The focus of this Phase will be on the highways, public places and hotspot areas in farming communities. This phase will be conducted during the day and night. A total of thirty Ministry staff that includes a Senior Veterinarian, along with three cattle loading trucks and three sets of mobile portable races will be deployed,” he said.
In addition, the Minister said this team would be beefed up with resources from the Police, the Military, LTA, Biosecurity, and Fiji Roads Authority.
“Operation Vesu Manumanu would include a surveillance or a lookout team that will rove around hotspots directing the capturing team to the targeted stray herd. Operation Vesu Manumanu will have the capacity to set up snap traps, load, and move. We will also set up our complaints lines and set up SMS social media platforms for the general public to provide us a live feed on stray herds. We are also exploring the possibility of using drones from our counterparts from the Fiji Police Force.”
The Minister made it clear that once trapped animals were sent to designated gazette pounds of the Ministry, owners claiming their animals would need to pay the pound charges.
In order to claim your animal, Minister Reddy explained, owners need to ensure their animals are branded. If animals were not branded and captured, he added, then by law, owners had no right to claim it.
Minister Reddy explained that owners need to brand their animals to be able to claim them. If animals were not branded and captured, then by law, owners had no right to claim it.
“All unclaimed and unbranded cattle will be sent to the abattoir while the unclaimed horses will be sent to our Horse Multiplication Facility at Yaqara. These horses will be trained and given to needy farmers in remote and maritime areas.”
Minister Reddy said during Phase Three, they intended to prosecute non-compliant livestock owners, where the animal owners of unbranded animals would also be charged for failure to brand their animals.
“We will not enter your property to collect your branded or unbranded animal. We will collect all animals, branded or unbranded from roads and other public places or other farms. If you claim it’s your animal, you will be held responsible.”
In preparing for Fiji to return to the new norm with the current pandemic, he said the Government wanted to ensure that farming communities were safe and secure.
Livestock owners have been given three weeks from yesterday to confine and brand all their animals.