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Mayor’s Office prepping for spay, neuter clinic in May
The Saipan Mayor’s Office is preparing for a spay and neuter program that’s scheduled to take off this May, according to Dog Control Program manager Spencer Marchadesch.
Due to the large dog population on the island, most of which are owned but free roaming, the Humane Society International, in collaboration with Animal Balance, will be conducting spay and neuter services on Saipan in May.
Marchadesch told Saipan Tribune they are preparing for the neuter services from May 18 to May 30. It will be held at the dog shelter in Lower Base.
Inga Gibson, HSI Hawaii senior state director and Pacific Islands policy coordinator, earlier noted that spay/neuter and zeuterin (nonsurgical vasectomy for dogs) services will be done in the last two weeks of May.
The spay/neuter services will include volunteer vets from Animal Balance. Zeuterin services will also be available for male dogs only. It is a non-surgical sterilization process for male dogs.
Animal Balance is a U.S.-based, non-profit organization dedicated to resolving the conflicts that exist between people, wildlife, and community dogs and cats on island nations around the world.
They believe that the most ethical, logical, and effective solution to these conflicts is to gradually reduce the population of community dogs and cats through mass sterilization and to improve the physical condition of existing populations through medical treatment and vaccination, according to their website.
“We will be doing the clinic at the shelter in Lower Base and maybe start a temporary clinic in Kagman,” Marchadesch said.
He said they had a meeting regarding the preparation and presentation of the spay/neuter services.
So far, Saipan has only two veterinary services that are available: One from the Department of Lands and Natural Resources that is helping the Saipan Mayor’s Office and the other is a private veterinary clinic.
