Schafer joins call for animal protection bill’s passage

Nicole Schafer

Nicole Schafer is hoping House Bill 19-55, or the animal protection bill, would finally get past all the hurdles at the Legislature so Gov. Ralph DLG Torres could officially sign it into law. She and other animal rights advocates are hoping this happens within the year.

First-term Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) is the author of HB 19-55, which aims to protect the welfare of dogs and other animals. Former representative Stanley T. Torres filed a similar bill, HB 17-35, in 2010 but after the bill passed the House no more action was taken.

Other animal protection bills were also introduced from the 13th to 16th legislatures but all failed to get the needed support and just gathered dust until it was completely forgotten.

Schafer, just like the local animal rights volunteer group Saipan Cares for Animals, is optimistic that it would be totally different this time with most of the lawmakers from both the House and the Senate as well as Torres saying they 100 percent support the bill.

“The biggest hurdle now is get the bill past the House and I think they had set another hearing. The bill already got past the committee level but they still have to discuss and vote for it on the floor,” Schafer told Saipan Tribune.

“It has strong support in the Senate and governor Torres said that he is also supporting it and even mentioned that he can’t wait to sign the bill once it gets through the entire process,” said Schafer, who just finished conducting a random survey as part of her thesis project.

Her thesis, the Marianas Dog Attitude Survey, is a requirement for her second postgraduate degree that she’s trying to complete at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland, which also helped finance her research with a minimal stipend.

She conducted the random survey last month where she asked 275 people of their attitude and treatment of dogs and other animals. Out of the 275, 77 percent are dog owners with 25 percent of them also having other pets in their homes.

“There’s not enough attention on dogs and other animals in Micronesia that’s why there’s a question on the survey if they are happy or if they want to get rid of dogs,” said Schafer, who was satisfied with the result.

“Sixty-five percent of the respondents said taking care of dogs are important part of the community and most of them say that they consider their pets as part of the family. That’s why more adoptions were made with the help of Saipan Cares for Animals and the Mayor’s Office.”

A U.S. study last year showed the CNMI is dead last among the 56 states and territories when it comes to animal protection laws based on the Animal Legal Defense Fund.