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Guam animal health official outlines stray‑dog numbers, upcoming training for village staff
Summary
Department of Agriculture animal health officials told mayors the island has tens of thousands of free‑roaming dogs and that a new survey is pending; officials announced a practical animal‑handling training Friday for village staff, rescue groups and animal control officers.
A representative of Guam’s animal health program told the Mayor’s Council that the island’s free‑roaming dog population is large, that a new population survey conducted in February is pending analysis, and that the department is scheduling an islandwide animal‑handling training for village staff and rescue partners.
The department reported that the 2014 dog population survey estimated about 24,000 free‑roaming dogs and that the 2024 calendar year generated more than 1,000 complaints to animal health, roughly 25 percent of which were categorized as aggressive or bite incidents. Animal control officers picked up about 1,300 animals in 2024; the Guam Animal Intake Network (GAIN) took in just over 5,000 animals and the low‑cost spay/neuter clinic performed just over 2,500 surgeries in that year, the presenter said.
The department and partner Humane World for Animals ran a new population and household survey in February; results and recommendations from that analysis are expected in a few weeks, officials said. The department invited village staff and rescue groups to attend hands‑on animal‑handling training on Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Jigo Research Center. The course is designed for animal control officers, rescue groups and mayoral office staff; organizers said they can accommodate two to three staff members per village and will use an outdoor area if attendance exceeds the classroom capacity.
The department also reminded mayors that a residential ownership limit exists: “By law, within a residential area, you are allowed to have four dogs,” the presenter said. She added that there is no numeric limit on zoned agricultural property, as described in the meeting.
Officials asked mayors to encourage staff to sign up for the Friday training and to watch for the forthcoming survey results and recommendations. The meeting record shows no formal council vote on animal‑control policy during the session.
