Have you ever known personally of a dog dying soon after being spayed?

[Douglas Carpenter]

5. This happens to be on the Pacific Island of Saipan. Outside of Guam and Hawaii he is the only vet

in the U.S. territories in the Pacific. Although Caucasians are less than 10% of the Island's population of 53,000 - they make up the vast majority of people who bring their pets to him. The rest are relatively wealthy Asians and Pacific Islanders. Although some inoculation services are available through a government program - there is no place for spaying or neutering or any clinical veterinary treatment. It would certainly cost more to fly the animal to Guam and even that wouldn't be allowed without having the health certificates that only this vet can release and would require the inoculations and treatments anyway. Thus he has a captive audience - so spending a rock bottom minimum of $1000 for the basics is all that is available. Of course for the vast majority here - there are no veterinary services at all. Dogs continue to over populate since only a minority of the population can afford such services.