She said PAWS only answers phone calls and e-mails from concerned community members and tourists, and forward these to MVA so that it will know what tourists experience while visiting the island.
Saipan has a stray dog control law since 1995, but it has yet to be implemented due to lack of funding.
According to Busenkell, PAWS wants to remind the government that treating animals inhumanely such as abandoning, hurting or neglecting animals does in fact affect tourism.
“Unfettered reproduction affects tourism. Mangy dogs affect tourism. Starving dogs affect tourism. Roadkill affects tourism,” she said.
Perhaps, she added, if the government will recognize how stray/abandoned animals affect tourism, the government, private businesses, and PAWS could form a relationship to educate the people of Saipan about responsible pet ownership.
PAWS is looking forward to host a round table discussion in mid-January to discuss the pros and cons of opening an animal shelter, and to discuss alternative humane methods of animal control.
“We hope that the government — the mayor’s office, [the Department of Land and Natural Resources], MVA, the governor and legislators — will join us in the discussion and attempt to solve this ongoing problem to benefit the community, tourists, and the animals of Saipan,” Busenkell said.
