(SHS) — Saipan Humane Society has announced a new policy limiting client communication to official SHS channels only. This change comes as part of the organization’s commitment to sustainability, staff well-being, and long-term community service.
In recent months, clients have increasingly contacted SHS staff — including veterinary assistants and volunteers — through personal social media accounts to seek emergency assistance. While the compassion behind these messages is deeply understood, this pattern has placed significant emotional and logistical strain on SHS’s small team.
“We understand how devastating it is to see a pet suffering with no immediate options,” said Lauren Cabrera, SHS board president. “But our one veterinary staff member who has been offering emergency help has also been responsible for running the clinic, coordinating surgeries, and managing hundreds of patients. No one person can sustain that pace without serious consequences.”
The bigger picture: mental health and veterinary burnout
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, veterinarians experience serious psychological distress at rates 2–3 times higher than the general population, and 1 in 6 has considered suicide. Veterinary technicians and support staff face similarly alarming burnout rates, often driven by compassion fatigue and unrealistic workload expectations.
“Veterinary professionals are some of the most caring people you’ll ever meet — but that same compassion can destroy them if boundaries aren’t respected,” SHS stated. “If you wouldn’t text your doctor’s spouse asking for an after-hours house call, please don’t message our staff personally. We’re human too.”
SHS’s focus moving forward
SHS’s goal is to remain a sustainable, community-run clinic for years to come. To achieve that, all client communication must now go through the official SHS channels:
(670) 233-7887 or
