The Animal Protection Society (A.P.S.) has cautioned all animal owners to be wary of their dogs, cats, livestock, and horses from the extremely hot weather following advice from the Samoa Meteorology Division.

Samoa is currently experiencing an unprecedented heatwave with temperatures soaring to alarming heights in recent weeks as confirmed by the Samoa Meteorology Division which cautioned residents that the temperature may continue to climb to levels never felt before.

The Society took to social media following the temperature updates to warn the parents of their animals to have shade and feed them mostly water.

"As per advice by the Metereology Office regarding hot weather expected over the next few weeks. Please make sure that all animals like dogs, and cats (including livestock and horses) have shade and that there’s always a bowl of fresh water available for them to drink from so we can avoid any risks they might encounter from the hot weather," the notice reads.

Attempts by the Samoa Observer to seek a comment from the Society on Saturday were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Afaese Luteru Tauvale, Assistant Chief Executive Officer for the Samoa Meteorology Division, shed light on the severity of the situation in a previous interview last week.

He said temperatures have been skyrocketing between 32 and 34 degrees Celsius, well above the average for this time of year. The highest temperature recorded so far 34.7 degrees Celsius last Friday.

"The past few weeks have been exceptionally hot, with little to no respite from the relentless heat," Afaese said.

"We've been closely monitoring the temperature fluctuations, and the data is clear, Samoa is experiencing a heatwave of unprecedented magnitude."

He attributed the soaring temperatures to the effects of global warming, noting that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common worldwide. However, he emphasised that the intensity of the current heatwave is particularly alarming for Samoa, a nation accustomed to more temperate climates.

The last three years have been warmer than ever and Samoa has experienced a gradual increase in temperature.

According to the Climate Change Knowledge Portal, the average temperature in Samoa has risen by 0.2°C per decade since 1990. Between 1999 and 2021, the temperature rose by two degrees Celsius. 

While Samoa copes with the new effects of the alarming hot temperature being experienced since the last three year, recent studies from The Lancet also highlighted a concerning trend: global warming is exacerbating the threat to kidney health worldwide.

It was revealed that there were 66 new patients added to the list of people needing dialysis treatment.

The Lancet Regional Health reports from Western Pacific and Americas shed light on the alarming correlation between rising temperatures and kidney disease incidence, underscoring the urgency for immediate action to mitigate climate change and protect vulnerable communities.

The Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific's report delves into the projections of high-temperature-related kidney disease burden across Australia.