Nikki Cripps: Auckland Council regional animal shelter manager on animal shelters trialling Afterpay

Auckland Council is trialling Afterpay at its dog pounds as owners grapple with pet costs amid the rising cost of living.

After one month of the eight-month trial, 15 percent of payments at the shelters had been made through the option.

Auckland Council regional animal shelter manager Nikki Cripps says the trial is still in its early stages, but it's seen positive results so far.

"We have seen an increase on dogs being claimed, obviously, the trial's still early days so it's hard to say whether it's solely down to that, we've got a lot of other incentives happening at the same time." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
New way to make ends, a new way to pay
should I say, if you've got a dog in the
pound at the Auckland Council and this is because owners
have been struggling to make ends meet after pay has
been trial for eight months of three main shelters, and
that began in April, so they've had a look at it.
In its first month, fifteen percent of all payments use
the buy now, pay late scheme on the tick and

(00:21):
at least a third of m pounded dogs normally go unclaimed.
The Council's regional animal shelter manager, Nicki Cripps joins me
now Hella Nikki, hello, thank you having me so more
dogs being claimed now that people can play on the
never never, we.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Have seen an increase in dogs being claimed. Obviously, the
trials still early days, so it's hard to say whether
it's solely down to that. We've got other incentives happening
at the same time.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Okay, do you think you've had eight months? Do you
think this is a policy that is workable?

Speaker 2 (00:55):
I think it's yeah, it's looking great. I mean we're
only started it in March for the eight month trials,
so it's still in those early days. That we're looking at,
but so far it's got really positive results.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
Am I right? And immediately presuming that a lot of
people who actually own a dog can't even afford to
run a dog, can't afford to the bills that come
with the dog, So when their dog then runs feral
and gets caught by the pound, they can't even afford
to get them out unless they have an afterpay option,
which would suggest that they weren't good owners in the
first place.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Look, I can understand the theory behind that. We understand
there's a multitude of reasons why people can't get the
dogs out. There are some people that their financial situation
has changed since they've taken on a dog. But ultimately
we can't control who chooses to own a dog or
decisions they make when taking on that responsibility. So we've
just tried to come up with another method, another option

(01:46):
for them to reduce the risk of the dogs going unclaimed.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
And the concern of everybody is dangerous dogs. So is
there a chance of more dangerous dogs will end up
back in the community when it's easier to reclaim the dog.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
No, not necessarily, Still all follow our same processes for
dogs that have come in, you know, for an aggressive
reason or for an attack. There's still the process that
we follow for those, So it doesn't mean a dog
will automatically be released just because the payment has been made.
There's a whole different process that's followed with those.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, Nicki thank you so much for your time today.
Nicki CRIPS is the Auckland Council Regional Animal Shelter Manager.
It is twenty one to six.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
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