Guam Animals In Need is showing Saipan’s Dog Control Team how the Yigo Animal Shelter operates.  Saipan's Dog Control Team is on Guam to learn how GAIN runs the Yigo Animal Shelter.  GAIN executive director Alison Hadley says it’s part of Saipan Humane Society’s Regional Exchange Program between Guam and the CNMI.  

Hadley told KUAM News, “GAIN and Guam has been able to kind of take the forefront of animal welfare action in this particular region. So we have the lucky opportunity to share our information and knowledge with the other departments that are still kind of growing right now and developing their programs and the type of resources they want to provide to their own communities."

The staff exchange aims to improve animal welfare and access to resources in the CNMI.  Stray dog handlers Toshi Togawa and Joseph Mafnas are with the Saipan Mayor’s Office Dog Control Program.  Togawa said, "So far, it’s been good. Lots of good experiences and learning. It’s a big difference from Saipan. We’re just trying to take in as much as we can and apply it back home."

"Being here in Guam, it’s really nice to be in a different environment to learn new ways and strategies for animal care," Mafnas noted. "Some of it is more efficient and could help us."

Mafnas adds Saipan’s growing stray dog population is the biggest obstacle, adding, "It’s really getting out of hand. Saipan focuses more on that stray dog population issue. It’s nice seeing the different ways they handle it here."

The two stray dog handlers seeing first hand how our animal control officers work during a ride-along Friday. While they’re here to learn new strategies, the exchange works both ways.

"They actually have a lot more animal control officers than Guam does right now," said Hadley. "So they’re doing ride-alongs with animal control and spending time in the SNIP clinic. It’s a very well-rounded exchange of information and a way to get to know each other a little bit better so things do come up on either side, we feel comfortable reaching out to our sister islands and sister organizations for that support."

More staff from Saipan will be arriving in the following weeks. Then in March, said Hadley, "A few of us from GAIN will go over to Saipan and help with a sort of implementation phase. And it’s also a complete exchange of knowledge too. There’s a lot of things Saipan does that Guam isn’t used to."

The exchange program is possible through a grant from Humane Society International.  Hadley also thanks the Guam Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Division and the Saipan Mayor’s Office for their support.