By Bryan Manabat
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
COMMUNITY members rallied this week to support the Saipan Humane Society after the nonprofit issued an urgent plea to prevent its spay‑and‑neuter clinic from shutting down.
SHS faced a shortage of cargo crates — needed to safely house animals scheduled for surgery and medical consultations — after the Dog Control Program under the Saipan Mayor’s Office pulled back the crates it had previously provided.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the mayor’s office said:
“In response to videos posted on social media regarding alleged substandard operational practices, the MOS Chief of Staff is conducting an inspection on Dog Control Program (DCP) operations, including the equipment used to capture dogs. The crates were recalled to DCP so we can inspect their condition and ensure they are safe and fully operational as part of the wider inspection.”
The recall left SHS without enough equipment to continue its weeklong clinic, staffed by two visiting veterinarians.
SHS Executive Director Amber Weston said the organization had no choice but to make a desperate call for help.
“Yesterday was a beautiful, amazing gathering of community support throughout all of the CNMI,” Weston said. “In about three hours we had 43 crates here in our space, and we had originally 20. We even doubled the number of crates, which was amazing.”
Weston added that Casa Marianas’ Blaine, Venus, and Jeff began building crates on-site to help SHS meet its needs.
“It was a wonderful gathering, and you could see how valuable the work we do here is and how much the community needs and wants it,” she said.
Two visiting veterinarians
SHS is hosting two veterinarians simultaneously — a first for the CNMI, according to Weston.
The visiting team includes Dr. Kathrine Yunke and Dr. Megan Cihak, supported by veterinary technicians Kayla and Asli.
“We have one vet doing sick consultations and the other focusing on surgeries. They are sponsored by the Banfield Foundation, which is a key part of Saipan Humane Society’s success as a nonprofit here in the CNMI,” Weston said.
The team is on the island for one week and leaves Saturday morning. Staff and volunteers have been working 12‑hour days to complete as many procedures as possible. Despite the disruption caused by the crate recall, the clinic still completed 44 appointments on Wednesday, including 26 surgeries, plus additional walk‑ins.
Ongoing challenges
Weston said SHS continues to face significant obstacles.
“As everybody knows, it’s very difficult to get specialty services on the islands. We are a nonprofit, so we don’t have lots of funding. We’re always searching for donations and support,” she said.
The organization is currently raising $15,000 through GoFundMe to help cover costs for a veterinarian scheduled to stay on Saipan for six weeks beginning in April — the island’s longest continuous veterinary presence.
“We’re about $4,000 in, so we really need support from the community. Another form of support is patience and understanding that we’re doing the best we can given our limited resources and tiny staff,” Weston said.
Focus on education and prevention
Weston, who recently stepped into the executive director role, said she plans to emphasize community education on preventative care.
“Your animals won’t get sick if you take proper steps like vaccinations and flea and tick treatments. When we don’t have vets on the island regularly, prevention is crucial.”
She also stressed the importance of spay and neuter services to reduce the island’s overwhelming stray population. The Humane Society offers low‑cost clinics to keep services accessible.
Gratitude
Weston said she was moved by the outpouring of help.
“I appreciate the community support — it was full of love. We look forward to collaborating with partners in the future and maintaining a harmonious, respectful partnership between all of us,” she said.
The Saipan Humane Society is open Monday–Tuesday and Thursday–Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Weston extended special thanks to Casa Marianas, volunteers, and the individuals who helped support the clinic.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
