From fur babies to feathered friends: Guam’s growing pet culture

By Louella Losinio

You see them everywhere - while driving along Marine Corps Drive, at the public park, or at the beach. Trucks with rolled down windows cruising along, then a furry face pops out with tongue out as if tasting the wind. You wave back, not at the driver but at the furry face whom you’d like to believe smiled back at you. You react the same way when you are at the park or the beach and see a smartly dressed little one that could fit in a bag and that huge bed hogger with a sweet personality.

Pet dog getting groomed.

Currently, more than 20 businesses and individuals are offering pet-related products and services on island. These businesses range from pet lodging, grooming, pet-sitting, pet healthcare to cremation

Guam has gone dog-crazy, and for feline lovers, cat-crazy as well. The island has it all, from pet parents who dote on their furry sons and daughters to pet lovers who cannot own one but vicariously watch cute pet antics 24/7. Chances are, one of the growing community of pet parents and enthusiasts are your own moms or dads, siblings, neighbors, friends, or co-workers. It could also be you.

Pet ownership has grown in the U.S. mainland and in some parts of the world. In fact, an American Pet Products Association survey shows that from 2017 to 2018 around 68 percent of U.S. homes own a pet. It was a little bit more than 50 percent ten years ago. While Guam lacks statistics on pet ownership, a quick drive through any village would show quite a number of pet owners.

One thing’s for sure, the growth in pet ownership naturally created a demand for a variety of products and services. It also created a business niche for innovative entrepreneurs. Currently, more than 20 businesses and individuals are offering pet-related products and services on island. These businesses range from pet lodging, grooming, pet-sitting, pet healthcare to cremation.

Today, pet owners on Guam have comparatively more options than a decade ago. They can choose to board their pets for a day or multiple days when they travel off-island. They can also take their pets to one of several grooming services for a professional haircut or blow dry. Before, owners would have to do online purchasing for clothes, costumes, toys, and accessories. Now they can go to one of the brick-and-mortar stores or pop-ups on Guam that sell these products.

Pet and animal welfare advocacies are now tapping the power of social media to raise awareness. When Pugua was shot in Yigo, the community used Facebook to rally support for the family and to push for strengthening current animal abuse laws. Groups such as Reuniting Fur Families continue to tap social media to find missing pets and connect them with their loved ones. Every year, families head to American Cancer Society’s Bark for Life event to support those who are fighting cancer.

Perspectives about pet ownership and responsibility have changed over the years and shaped the evolving pet culture on Guam. Many pet owners now see their pets as a member of the family. And just like one, they need a comfortable home, proper nutrition, and access to health care.