This summer the Manu’a Islands were visited by Territorial Veterinarian, Dr. Brenda Smith from the Dept. of Agriculture, and a few hard-working and dedicated volunteers, who conducted free spay and neuter clinics for the dogs and cats of Fitiuta,Ta’u and Faleasao on consecutive days in mid-June.

Dr. Smith reported from Fitiuta that she was assisted there by several local volunteers, as she was unable to bring her staff, due to the fact that the governor had not signed their travel requests. Dr. Smith, who is strongly committed to making sure that spay and neuter clinics are conducted in all the islands of American Samoa, flew there on her own dime.

Fortunately, she had help. Volunteers in Manu’a included Veterinarian Dr. Eileen Naaman from Maui, Dr. Leianne Lee Loy from Honolulu, Sylvia Miscoi and Pepa Liaina from Tutuila. and Luana Scanlan, who joined the team on Ofu, where she coordinated the clinics before Dr. Smith and company arrived there.

Dr. Smith told Samoa News, “The clinic idea really caught on by the last day — we had kids carrying cats and trucks collecting dogs in a steady stream all day long.” She remarked, “All our hosts were very kind and generous in all the villages.”

“Special thanks go out to Oge Nua of the Dept. of Agriculture in Ta’u for helping us in every way possible. Thanks also to our hosts, Eseta and Ann at Eseta's homestay.”  The clinic accomplished 92 spay and neuter surgeries on Ta’u alone.

Later in June, In Ofu and Olosega, the team had strong assistance from the Ofu Dept. of Agriculture staff. Dr. Smith credited “Sam” and “Letau” from the National Park Service, who enabled the team to secure locations for their clinics and helped out with transport and clinic activities.

“Our two volunteer veterinarians (Dr Leianne Lee Loy from Oahu and Dr Eileen Naaman from Maui) as well as our three volunteers from Alofa Mo Meaola (Luana Scanlan, Pepa Liaina, and Sylvia Miscoi) made for successful clinics.”

 In total for Manu'a, the group held six successful clinics and were able to do 149 surgeries and many health checks for the animals.

Dr. Smith had special thanks for their hosts in Ofu at Vaoto Lodge, saying “Deb and Ben were just wonderful.” She also had special kudos for ASPA, “most especially to Henry Satila, for getting our supplies to us on the Fotu, and to Deputy Director at the Port, Chris King, for keeping us updated while we were there.”

“Manu’a is an amazing place, and I hope to go back soon to spend more time,” she told Samoa News. “And without the dedication of volunteers, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

WHY BOTHER TO SPAY AND NEUTER OUR PETS?

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there are many excellent reasons for spaying or neutering your cats and dogs.

1    Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.

Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.

2    Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.

Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.

3    Your spayed female won’t go into heat.

While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they'll yowl and urinate more frequently — sometimes all over the house!

4    Your male dog won't want to roam away from home.

An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes digging his way under a fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.

5    Your neutered male will be much better behaved.

Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, un-neutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.

6    It is highly cost-effective.

The cost of your pet's spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. (In American Samoa it has been free of charge for several years, due to these volunteer clinics.)

7    Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.

Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.

8    Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.

Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets. In American Samoa, our small but growing tourist industry has made note of the need to rid our streets of diseased and hungry strays for several years.