Guam's stray population crisis: Three dogcatchers, one truck, 60,000 free-roaming animals

 Humane and sustainable solutions sought amid the struggle to manage a surging stray population

By Jayvee Vallejera

Guam’s single animal shelter receives constant phone calls from desperate pet owners and rescuers, while social media is flooded with posts seeking foster homes for rescued animals, newborn puppies and kittens or pets that can’t join their owners who are relocating off the island. However, there are more dogs and cats in need of a home than families willing and able to adopt them. Hundreds of abandoned pets end up joining Guam’s exploding stray population.

Guam had 24,000 free-roaming dogs in 2014. Based on a new count in February of this year, officials estimated that the number has now reached about 60,000 —nearly a third of Guam’s human population, which is 166,000.

Although Guam is rabies-free, the stray dog problem comes with a host of issues, including public health concerns, safety hazards, environmental impacts and the dogs’ own welfare.

In 2024, the Animal Health Division of the Guam Department of Agriculture received over a thousand complaints about strays, with 25 percent related to animal bites and aggression.

“That's a pretty big percentage of free-roaming dogs that are causing some injuries or, if not, at least a little bit of fear in our residents,” Dr. Mariana Turner, territorial veterinarian, said in her presentation before the Mayors' Council of Guam in March.

The Animal Health Division’s Dog Population Management Task Force brought together government agencies, military partners, universities, veterinarians and non-profit organizations to develop humane, effective solutions to the island’s free-roaming dog problem.

“I know every single village has this problem. In every single village, we've got stray dogs that are causing issues. It’s your residents who are dealing with the public safety issues with the stray dogs,” Turner told the mayors.

Guam has only three animal control officers and one truck to catch stray animals. “We're doing the best that we can," Turner said, "it's quite a daunting task."

Village mayors could help, she said, noting that village staff play key roles in addressing residents' concerns. However, while the council may already have several village employees assisting with animal control efforts, they lack formal training in handling animal-related issues.

In 2024, animal control officers picked up a total of 1,299 stray dogs. But catching strays is only half the task. Finding a shelter for them is the other half.

The Guam Animals In Need shelter already had 5,064 animals—3,709 dogs and 1,355 cats—in its Yigo facility. Only 224 cats and 404 dogs were adopted as of last year.

The task force is also working with volunteers from GAIN and Guåhan Paws for Pets, Animal Control officers, the Guam Police Department and the legislature to manage Guam’s stray population crisis, following “internationally recognized best practices, including those outlined by the International Companion Animal Management Coalition.”

It aims to replicate the successes of dog population management initiatives worldwide, including increasing rates of spay/neuter, enhancing animal control and shelter capacity and promoting community education and engagement efforts.

Some suggested euthanizing stray animals, but Stephanie DeForge, humane programs manager at GAIN, rejected this solution as ineffective. Euthanasia, she added, creates a "vacuum effect."

While it may result in a temporary drop in the number of strays in an area, other animals will be drawn to the exact location and fill the void left behind. “This can cause even more animals to migrate to the area and then start breeding and creating even more,” DeForge said.

Animal welfare advocates said fighting the explosive growth of Guam's stray population requires humane solutions with sustainable results.

One of the key policy initiatives being developed is the creation of a trap-neuter-release program. Free-roaming dogs and cats are sterilized, vaccinated and then released back to where they were first caught. This strategy is widely used in other areas to control the stray population humanely.

Eighty-four thousand strays. That is the estimated number of dogs and cats that did not end up on the streets of Guam in the last three years as a result of GAIN’s pet sterilization program.

Since the launch of the Spay and Neuter Island Pets, or SNIP, program in 2022, GAIN has spayed and neutered over 7,000 animals, a number that DeForge said has had a significant impact on the island.

“If we consider that each of the 7,000 sterilized animals could have potentially had several litters over their reproductive lifetime, the impact is enormous,” she said.

A typical dog can have two litters per year, with an average of six to eight puppies in each litter. Similarly, cats can have two to three litters per year, with three to five kittens in each litter. 

A rough estimate suggests that if 7,000 sterilized animals had been left unfixed, they could have produced hundreds of thousands of puppies and kittens over several years, with each animal potentially having around 12 offspring per year.

By sterilizing 7,000 animals, GAIN has prevented the birth of tens of thousands of puppies and kittens, vastly reducing the number of stray animals, DeForge said.

“This is a major victory in the ongoing effort to control pet overpopulation, improve animal welfare and reduce the burden on shelters and communities,” she added.

Recognizing the need for more hands on deck to foster healthier and safer communities, DeForge said GAIN supports the work of the dog population task force.

GAIN is also expanding its initiative called “Her Last Litter,” which aims to reduce the number of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens surrendered by pet owners whose animals are not sterilized and continue to give birth year after year.

 With support from a Pay-Less Community Foundation grant, GAIN covers the cost of surgery for female pets, thus cutting the cycle of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens.

“[The] deal is simple—surrender the puppies and kittens to GAIN, and we will spay mom for free so they won't have future unwanted litters,” DeForge said.

One of GAIN’s signature projects is the Boonie Flight Project, which involves flying animals from Guam to adopters offshore. However, DeForge said, the project has since slowed down due to the increased costs of transporting pets.

It can cost up to $2,000 to fly a pet off-island, DeForge said. That same $2,000 can cover the cost of sterilizing 40 adult animals.

“So, for the most part, we can only fly off animals when we have an interested adopter stateside willing to cover a substantial part of the cost of flying their desired animal,” she said. 

GAIN aims to contribute to sustainable solutions that improve both animal welfare and public safety—through collaborative initiatives, resource sharing and community engagement.

“By working together, we can create a more compassionate and effective approach to managing stray populations, ensuring a better quality of life for both animals and residents,” DeForge said.

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