PAWS president Katie Busenkell has yet to look at the numbers of those who signed up, but she noted the “great” turnout for yesterday’s meeting.
The group wanted to see the participation of at least 15 people who are willing to volunteer their time and efforts, but more than 20 showed up.
The meeting, Busenkell said, showed that people are interested to help.
There are seven slots on the board that need to be filled before they can discuss PAWS activities and issues that remain unaddressed like the construction of an animal shelter and the anti-animal cruelty legislation.
Membership applications were distributed yesterday. Those who filled them out indicated the committees they wish to get involved with.
From these forms, Busekell said, the organization will determine how it can move forward.
One does not have to be an animal lover to realize the importance of animal care and control, she added.
“Even if you are not an animal lover, somehow you are being affected by our failure to control the animal population. That’s why we need people to get involved,” she said.
Tourism, property values and public health are all affected by lack of animal control, she added.
People don’t need to get deeply involved — they just have to be supportive in their own little ways, she said.
Six of the nine Saipan mayoral candidates that this reporter interviewed did not mention animal control, but PAWS is hoping that they and other politicians will educate themselves about the importance of animal control, and the need to be humane when handling animals.
She said she would never ask the government to open a shelter it can’t afford to run efficiently and humanely, but elected officials should still find ways to “do the best we can with what we have.”
