Representatives for the country's main animal protection agency The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) told media it was powerless to prosecute the Taufa family as killing animals was legal provided it was done humanely. The Taufa's pet pit bull had apparently been slaughtered in an acceptable manner.
However, the SPCA found such behaviour objectionable on moral grounds and would lobby the Minister of Agriculture Chris Carter for a law change, the representatives said. It would also seek the asistance of the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs to meet with appropriate Tongan community leaders to discuss preventing the killing of dogs for human consumption.
The incident caused a furor of public debate with the issue a hot topic in the media and on Internet discussion forums. While many New Zealanders agreed with the animal protection agency, there were seemingly just as many who supported the Taufa family's decision to condemn its pet pit bull to a dog bbq.
The Taufas claimed to have done nothing wrong; that eating dog was part of Tongan culture.
Vocal New Zealander Criticises Animal Protection Agency and Supports Tongan Family's Dog BBQ
New Zealand Herald National Affairs Columnist Brian Rudman threw his weight behind the family saying, "barbecuing a family pet was not so very different to roasting a lamb or a chook raised at home."
"They should be giving him (Paea Taufa) a medal. If every pit bull owner in the land followed his lead, New Zealand would be a safer place to live," Rudman said.
If the dog had attacked a person, the "bleeding hearts from the SPCA" or the "vote-seeking politicians" would have "turned on the owner," he said.
