Apatang, GAIN to collaborate on animal protection law changes

Alison Hadley and Arleen DeCastro of Guam Animals in Need, and Dr. Brenda Smith, DVM, calls on Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang last April 1, 2022. (Contributed Photo)

Alison Hadley and Arleen DeCastro of Guam Animals in Need, and Dr. Brenda Smith, DVM, stopped by at the Saipan Mayor’s Office last April 1, 2022, and had a chance to talk with Mayor David M. Apatang of matters related to animal health and what could be done to deliver improved animal healthcare on Saipan.

“We are very fortunate to have a great relationship with Guam Animals in Need and can work together in improving our capability of providing and delivering better animal healthcare to dogs and cats [on] Saipan,” Apatang said.

He said that as long as he has been the Saipan mayor and even before taking office almost eight years ago, Hadley has been keeping in constant touch with the Saipan Mayor’s Office—“checking how we are doing and whether we need donations of dog and cat food.”

“I want to thank Alison and Arleen DeCastro for their time to visit with me, and hear GAIN’s success stories in Guam. I especially want to thank Cyrus Luhr, president of the board of GAIN, for all the generosity GAIN has extended to us here in Saipan,” Apatang added.

Hadley said that she and Smith are available to offer their experiences and challenges in operating the GAIN animal shelter in Guam and how the Saipan Mayor’s Office can overcome challenges and continue to operate the Saipan dog control program with success.

“In the coming months, with the assistance of Dr. Smith and the incoming Guam Territorial Veterinarian, Dr. Mariana Turner, GAIN will be capable of making spay and neuter services [on] Saipan, which will be a tremendous health benefit to many pets and impounded free-roaming dogs [on] Saipan,” said Hadley.

Alison Hadley and Arleen DeCastro of Guam Animals in Need, and Dr. Brenda Smith, DVM, calls on Rep. Ed Propst (D-Saipan). (Contributed Photo)

She said that Apatang is open to the suggestion of revisiting the CNMI Animal Protection and Control Act, or Public Law No. 21-31, to see how Saipan dog program staff maybe statutorily authorized to perform procedures “that we in Guam are statutorily authorized to perform” like in many other jurisdictions in the United States.

“In many jurisdictions, services to care for dogs and cats are authorized by law to be performed by a person who is not a veterinarian,” said Smith. “As a veterinarian, staff must be trained and certified by a licensed, practicing veterinarian, and I am sure we can take a look at the law and bring Saipan into the list of those many jurisdictions that permit non-DVMs to perform very limited procedures.”

Apatang said his office’s collaboration with GAIN and Smith will be to draft a legislation that would provide for the Saipan dog control program, like GAIN, to perform humane euthanasia on dogs that are critically injured or have very little hope of recovering from serious health issues.

“It is time to bring how we operate our dog control program to present time practices and move on from old practices,” Apatang said.

In a separate meeting with Rep. Ed Propst (D-Saipan), the lawmaker expressed support for the mayor’s collaboration with GAIN and Smith.

“I welcome any proposed amendment to the Animal Protection and Control Act, to provide for limited services to be performed by non-DVMs though rigorous certification requirements and trainings,” said Propst. “Because of the challenges in getting a veterinarian to our islands, one who will be here on a fulltime basis, we need to make adjustments in our laws to permit non-veterinarians to perform limited services, similar to other jurisdictions.” (PR)