The Mayors Council Of Guam began catching stray animals last month but some island residents are letting them go.
The stray-animal round-up has been doing well, however, island residents are releasing strays from traps in the village of Santa Rita, according to Mayors Council of Guam stray animal roundup committee chair Rudy Paco.
The round-up is part of an initiative to address the stray animal problem that has afflicted the island for many years.
Paco, who is also the mayor of Mongmong-Toto-Maite, says that he is currently working with the Department of Agriculture to address the issue of residents releasing strays caught in traps.
Mayor Paco says his colleague, Santa Rita Mayor Dale E. Alvarez, has informed him that 8 dogs were released from traps in his village.
He says island residents are misunderstanding the objective of this project.
“People are getting the wrong message. The word round-up doesn’t mean that we are just rounding cats and dogs and bringing them up to GAIN and euthanizing them. What it is, is that if the dog can be adopted then we can put them up for adoption. Now, if the dog is aggressive, then that is when we can euthanize the dog,” Paco said.
For the month of February, Santa Rita has turned in 33 dogs and 11 cats.
In addition, Mongmong-Toto-Maite has also turned in 7 dogs.
Meanwhile, Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon was scheduled to begin the roundup earlier this week but Mayor Louise C. Rivera says she is still awaiting equipment.
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