Vet clinic services 70 animals; more planned

Volunteer veterinarian Dr. Whitney Collins did not only service cats and dogs during the vet care clinic at the Saipan Mayor’s Office Animal Shelter in As Perdido, but she also treated a horse and a wild bird during her visit to the CNMI. Other photo shows Dr. Collins checking a pet dog. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The veterinary care clinic conducted by the Saipan Humane Society and the Saipan Mayor’s Office Animal Shelter in As Perdido, which ended last Saturday, was able to provide services to 70 animals, thanks to visiting veterinarian Dr. Whitney Collins.

Then this April 10 to 14 at the same location, the Mayor’s Dog Control Program and Saipan Humane Society will be hosting Dr. Brenda Smith from Guam Animals In Need and their team for another spay/neuter clinic.

There is also a clinic being tentatively planned for May/June.

In the recently concluded clinic, Collins not only serviced cats and dogs, but also treated a horse and one wild bird.

According to Saipan Humane Society founder Lauren Cabrera, “Members of the community were excited to meet with a veterinarian and discuss various health issues facing their pets and were also provided with rabies vaccines, which are necessary for travel off-island.”

In addition to providing veterinary care, Collins spent a large amount of time training the volunteers at Saipan Humane Society on various veterinary procedures that can be performed by a veterinary technician, such as clinical assessments, blood draws, and humane euthanasia for animals that are suffering.

Collins also visited Rota to assist with conservation work and discuss dog population management with Rota Mayor Aubrey Hocog and the Rota Municipal Council.

Collins plans to return to the CNMI on a regular basis, offering veterinary care, ongoing training for the volunteers at Saipan Humane Society, and conducting conservation work. “I want to thank Mayor [Ramon “RB”] Camacho and the Dog Control Program for allowing us to use their facility. The Dog Control Program staff and Saipan Humane Society are a great team, and I really enjoyed my time working with them. The island and the people were wonderful. I feel that we made a lot of progress and look forward to returning,” she said.

Collins is particularly interested in conserving the fragile ecology of islands and protecting endangered and endemic species.

To sign up on the waitlist for spay/neuter or other services, go to www.tinyurl.com/saipanhumane

When the volunteers at Saipan Humane Society begin scheduling, they will reach out to people on the waitlist to assign appointments.

To donate or volunteer, reach out to saipanhumane@gmail.com.

Saipan Humane Society is seeking financial contributions, food vouchers for volunteer veterinarians, accommodation donations for visiting volunteers, coupons for activities, and United Airlines miles.