By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

BEAUTIFY CNMI!’s animal welfare committee is proposing the creation of a new division under the mayor’s office to be responsible for maintaining an animal shelter and dispatching animal control officers to pick up dead animals from roads.
During a meeting on Thursday, Steve Hiney, the coalition’s solid waste committee chairman, said controlling the population of stray dogs and cats is a municipal responsibility.
Tony Benavente of the Saipan mayor’s office said they are in the process of accepting bids for the construction of a kennel.
The mayor’s office has $75,000 for the project.
According to Beautify CNMI! animal welfare committee chairwoman, Katie Busenkell, the Department of Public Safety is responsible for picking up dead animals from roads.
“If DPS does not want to pick up dead animals, which is actually their responsibility by law, then they should hand it to an animal control officer — that’s what I think we should do,” Busenkell said.
The meeting also discussed raising awareness of the need for responsible pet ownership.
“We actually have quite enough information now and we need volunteers to help us with posters, give-away items, teacher guide books, student activities, and videos for school children,” Busenkell said.
She added residents should have their animals “fixed,” otherwise, the CNMI will continue to have “a lot of dead animals, as well as roaming dogs and cats.”