Stray animal population out of control

by Krystal Paco

Guam - From overturning trash bins to biting residents, island leaders agree the stray animal population is out of control.  "Our problem is we continue to lose manpower," said Dr. Tom Poole, the island's territorial veterinarian. "At one point we had 21 animal control officers in most of my tenure here we had four and now we're down to three, and with no plans to hire or replace the one that we lost in August because of downsizing. It's very difficult."

Poole says that with only three animal control officers, stray animal roundups are limited to once a week on Wednesdays from 4am to 8am. The rest of the time his staff is dealing with an overwhelming number of animal complaints, majority dealing with stray dogs who overturn trash bins and sometimes bite residents. "I think our high was we had 200 complaints in one week," he added. "Right now, we're averaging 60 or 70, but that's a lot for basically two trucks to try and get everything done."

And because Dr. Poole is so short-staffed, the Mayors Council of Guam has had to assist with rounding-up strays and cleaning up roadkill. Council executive director Angel Sablan told KUAM News, "The mayors have been trying to see what we can do. We've talked to the veterinarians we've talked to Mrs. Taitague, but simply collecting the animals and giving them to GAIN is not working anymore."

And the problem will only get worse," as Poole said, "One intact female can produce more than 100 pups in a year and a half. I can show you the math on that. With an average litter size of six, you do the math and in a year and a half she has 126 pups on the ground. And that's assuming that none of the die of disease, starvation, that sort of thing."

Dr. Poole's proposed solution to control the animal population? A government funded spay and neuter program but such procedures can only be done by a licensed veterinarian and can cost pet owners from fifty to over 100dollars depending on the size and sex of the animal.

Guam Animals in Need shelter manager Bambi Leone agrees with Poole - the island needs a mandatory spade and neuter program as the Yigo facility struggles with overcrowded kennels daily and can receive as many as 40 strays a day. "If they had a good licensing program than we could get it under control with mandatory spade and neuter you offer them a reduced rate for licensing people that breed need to have a higher fee for a license and proper vet care and that will encourage people to spay and neuter or relinquish their animals if they don't want to spay and neuter so we can get them off the streets," she said.

And if you want a pet, adopt. Leone said, "Adopt from the shelter don't buy adopt we have many, many wonderful animals here - dogs AND cats."