Dog population on Saipan at about 21K

There were an estimated 21,100 dogs on Saipan in 2014, according to data released by the Humane Society International.

Statistics from HSI show that an estimated 12,300 are street dogs, both owned or unowned, while only 8,800 are owned and confined.

In an interview yesterday at the Saipan Mayor’s Office, HIS Hawaii senior state director and Pacific Islands policy coordinator Inga Gibson told Saipan Tribune that the dog survey results point to the need for public education on spay/neuter programs and clinics.

The dog survey, which was done in June last year in collaboration with the Saipan Mayor’s Office, reached out to 21 villages and surveyed dogs that were either seen or visited through residents’ households.

The survey report states “that owned dogs make up the majority the free-roaming street dog population, and thus dog owners are both important targets and key partners in any comprehensive humane management effort.”

It adds: “Animal welfare concerns are not limited to the free-roaming dog population however. According to numerous observations recorded during dog counts and household surveys, the standards of care for owned dogs are often poor, with dogs frequently being tethered without adequate access to water or shelter, or experiencing unalleviated discomfort, distress, injury or illness.”

Gibson said that when they did their survey in June, two types of survey were done. The first survey included surveying crews walking along the roads in the 21 villages for one to thre hours and counting every dog seen and recorded their status that included sex, age, confinement status, sterilization status (only determined on male dogs) and its condition.

The second survey was for the households where the surveying crews asked residents of selected houses a series of questions that included the number of pets in their homes, sterilization/vaccination status, reason for not sterilizing/vaccinating, veterinary care received, and attitudes toward street dogs, and opinions on how to address the problems.

Survey shows…

The HSI survey showed that majority of the dog population on Saipan is male. About 61.1 percent were male while 38.9 percent were female. Majority of them were adult dogs and about 99 percent of the free-roaming male dogs were not neutered. Those that were undernourished was about 27.4 percent and 14 percent were seen with skin conditions.

The survey also showed that 70 percent of households claim ownership of one or more dogs. Household ownership rate showed that 72.4 percent own dogs while 27.6 percent do not own dogs. Those that owned dogs showed that 47.1 percent were always confined while 52.9 percent were either always or sometimes free-roaming.

Reasons cited why dogs are not sterilized or vaccinate are that it was either too expensive, inconvenient, not needed, or they don’t know about it.

Residents were also asked during the survey about household practices, attitudes, and experiences as they relate to dogs.

One-third of dog owners reported that they use, or would use, the services of a veterinarian at least occasionally. Expense was the most cited reason for not seeking veterinary care. About 40 percent feed dogs that they do not own, and the same percentage of households have experienced being bitten or threatened.

“Majority of the residents that were surveyed showed that 92.4 percent wanted support for management efforts that included education, subsidized services, sterilization or removal,” Gibson said.

Compared to Guam

Saipan’s dogs are more free roaming while Guam’s are more confined. The breeding rates appear to be slightly higher on Saipan than in Guam, though not explicitly measured.

Vaccination rates are also somewhat higher in Guam, and registration rates are somewhat higher on Saipan. The reason for this, as Gibson explained, is that Guam has more services that residents can look forward to for their pet care.

Expense appears to be the larger impediment to sterilization and vaccination on Saipan than Guam, and willingness or ability to use veterinary care is lower on Saipan than Guam.

Guam’s dog population is about three times larger than Saipan, with an estimate of 60,000 dogs, according to Gibson.