Ginette Bocanegra

Pacific Daily News

HAGÅTÑA, Guam — In June 2017, an estimated 25,000 stray dogs were roaming the island of Guam. That number grows every day, posing a public health hazard to those who encounter them.

Dededo resident Adam Grimm is from Indiana, but is stationed here with the U.S. Army. "I'm all about dogs and people having domestic pets, but I have never seen anything like the stray population here. My wife and I like to take evening jogs, but these homeless and often aggressive animals roaming our neighborhood make it a risky situation. I have been stationed in states across the mainland and in countries around the world for the past 16 years with the military and have seen a lot of things, but here in Guam, this issue seems to have gotten out of hand," he said.

In November 2014, Yigo Mayor Rudy Matanane founded the Stray Dog Committee, composed of eight volunteers, including retired Army Col. Thomas Poole. Poole was formerly the commander of the U.S. Veterinary Command and is now the territorial veterinarian for the government of Guam.

According to Poole, who also heads animal control, there are only four animal control officers for the entire island, “We had six staff members, but two have died in the last few months and we haven’t gotten any replacements yet, so we are short staffed,” said Poole.

Earlier in October, an incident involving a boy walking to a bus stop in Dededo, while circled by a pack of four large, barking, dogs, was reported to village Mayor Melissa Savares who responded by saying that animal control would be dispatched that same day, with bait and cages.

“My son’s friend was walking to the bus stop, and they almost attacked him. This is my biggest fear. This 10-year-old kid was shook up and crying, and he is a pretty tough kid. Thankfully, his mom came out, yelled at them, and then walked with him,” said neighborhood resident Elizabeth Hebner, 39.

Part of the problem with dealing with stray dogs, according to Savares, is that people in the community steal the dog traps and instead take them home to capture wild pigs that destroy their personal property. In doing so, they are breaking the law because “they are hampering government operations,” said Savares.

Mantanane who is also aware of the short staffing issue surrounding animal control, has requested funding from the government to hire additional staff members in the near future so that there would be three permanent crews to cover south, central, and northern operations.

“I would also like to see crews run 24 hours a day,” said Matanane.

“We get about four to 30 complaints a day regarding stray dogs. Until now, Guam’s animal control strategy has been ‘catch and kill’. It’s unenlightened, inefficient, and perhaps worst of all, ineffective. I want to make the point that you cannot catch and kill your way to canine victory. Here’s why: Adult female dogs come into heat every roughly every 6 to 9 months. Across America, the average litter size is six pups,” Poole said.

There are veterinary clinics in Guam that will spay or neuter a dog for as low as $89. According to North Shore Animal League America, spaying and neutering will also extend the lifespan of dogs by up to three years. It further reports that sterilization reduces the risk of pets developing reproductive cancer, which would cost five to 10 times more to treat. “I hate to say it, but a big part of the problem lies in irresponsible dog owners,” said Matanane.

Current law limits households to four adult dogs per residence. In addition to the limit on pets, owners must keep their dogs, no matter their size, on leashes anytime they are not confined to their owners' property.

Poole said part of the strategy to address the dog problem involves setting traps every Monday and Wednesday in problematic parts of the island. Any animals caught are taken to Guam Animals In Need, better known as GAIN, the island's only government-contracted animal shelter.

“We catch or pick up about a 1,000 dogs per year as it relates to this problem,” said Poole. According to Matanane, the dogs are then given the vaccinations needed to be adopted at GAIN. If the animals are still there three days later, they may be euthanized due to the fact that the shelter consistently operates at a full capacity.

Another factor that contributes to the problem, Matanane said, is the feeding of stray animals. “The law is if you feed a dog, then it belongs to you,” he said. “In other words, you have no room to complain because you are encouraging them to return."

There have been no reported deaths related to attacks by stray animals, however there have been serious injuries reported. “The worst I have seen is a child with a broken femur,” said Poole. “A trained marksman could really help our program for the vicious dogs. It’s a completely humane technique, because with a brain-shot the dog would be unconscious instantly.”

The Stray Dog Committee will meet again this month to discuss implementation of a plan to decrease the number of strays by 75 percent within the next 18 months, Matanane said. "As soon as the Legislature approves a bill we have drafted which will be presented by Senator (Dennis) Rodriguez, that would require owners to spay and microchip their pets after six months, this problem will begin to diminish,” he said.

The proposed bill would also require any licensed breeder to apply for an annual permit to operate for commercial purposes. They would pay a $100 fee for each breeding female they own.

Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee, also an advocate for stopping the stray population, in June said: "If your child has to walk to school with a stick in her hand to protect herself from stray dogs, government has failed you, and we can do better."