whatever you do for a dog, they end up doing so much more for you

[Douglas Carpenter]

20. I happen to live in a place with lots and lots of stray dogs - but only one vet within hundreds of

miles. Thus veterinary bills are very expensive. I have fully adopted one abandoned dog and gotten him neutered and all fixed up with his proper medical treatment at a cost of more than $1500. The moral quandary I have is that I have about four other dogs coming around looking for some food and no doubt would like a place to live. I can afford the food - and they can stay around my place as much as they like - but to fully and properly take care of them with all their routine medical needs is simply something that cost way beyond my budget. There are not adequate public or private services here on Saipan to deal with such issues - nor are local attitudes toward animals very enlightened. Most local people only feed dogs scraps and never take them to the vet and very, very few animals here have been neutered or spayed.