HISTORY
The Palau Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is a non-profit corporation founded in 2000 to promote the health and well being of domestic animals in Palau. Starting in 2000, PAWS provided medical services to sick and injured animals, treating animals in parking lots and later in a government-provided office, and hosted spay/neuter clinics twice a year, bringing in off-island veterinarians. PAWS began working with the Koror State Government (KSG) and its legal counsel, Valerie Lowson, in 2004 after their animal control act was passed and was integral in the development of the Koror State Animal Shelter, which opened in June 2005.
From 2005 to 2018, PAWS worked with KSG under a Memorandum of Understanding and supported the veterinary clinic by supplying all medicine and supplies, and assisted in program development and implementation. Over the years PAWS expanded the clinic by acquiring donations and grants to purchase diagnostic equipment and run training programs, which greatly enhanced its capabilities.
In 2018 PAWS moved in a new direction, to set up an independent veterinary clinic. In January, 2019 we opened our own low-overhead facility to run spay/neuter clinics. To this end, we ran three hugely successful campaigns in 2019, twice with private vets and once with a team of U.S. military vets. Over 300 dogs and cats were sterilized, and numerous orthopedic surgeries performed, proof that a focused, well-run clinic had the ability to carry out surgeries at a level that might begin in push back on the stray animal problems in Palau. In 2021 PAWS acquired a donation allowing us to hire our own veterinarian!
PAWS is currently providing veterinary services at our low-cost vet clinic (LINK to clinic page), with Dr. Pamela Hernandez from Guatemala as our current veterinarian. PAWS is drawing on community and international support and grants. Keep up to date on our progress by following PAWS on Facebook and Instagram. PAWS is waiting with anticipation for Palau’s first Palauan veterinarian!
Animal Welfare in Palauan Culture
Long ago in Palau there was a childless widow who wanted children of her own. One day her wish was granted, but she gave birth to a banded sea snake. Rather than becoming scared, she loved her snake son like a human child and cared for him until he became too big to live in the house. The mother was getting old and because of this she could no longer go fishing for her family. So the snake took over this responsibility. He would trap the fish with his long slender body. The snake, still a young boy wanted to play with other children, but the boys from the village were scared of him. He told his mother of his sadness so his mother wished for another child to become his playmate. Nine months later she gave birth to a cat. Despite the two being very different creatures the cat sister and snake brother got along very well. The snake kept fishing and the cat kept the rats away. They loved playing together at the beach by the house. Sadly, the village started talking about how unusual the family was, the stories reached the widow’s ears and she cried quietly about how she wished to have a family that was accepted. The snake heard this and told his sister. Deeply saddened by their situation the siblings rant away to sea. The cat jumped on her brother’s back as he swam out with the tide. A few days later they landed at Ngeluul in Yap. There the snake trapped fish on this sister rested in the shade. A man gathering coconuts saw them the trapped fish and ran to catch some. He was surprised to find a giant snake feeding fish to a cat.
Frightened, he turned to run way, but the snake called out to him: “Come have some fish and give us some coconut water, we are thirsty.”
The man was surprised. “Don’t be scared, we will not harm you.” the snake urged.
The man thanked the for sharing fish and gave them coconuts to drink and eat. They conversed for some time and finally the man asked the snake if he could stay and fish for his village. The snake declined but offered to teach the man how to fish with a beng (a circle trap for fish). The man lamented about rats chewing holes in his fish traps and eating all of his bananas. Hearing this, the cat offered her expert rat hunting services if he would over her a home. The man liked this idea, even though he had never seen a cat before. The snake, who was sad to see his sister go, spoke with her privately before leaving.
“You are a creature of land and I am of the sea. This is your new home, but don’t forget me! Befriend the people of his house but act as a reflection of their love and kindness. If they are kind and treat you will, be kind and treat them well.”
As they parted ways the snake called out to the man: “Please don’t feed her any bananas, it is forbidden where we come from, give her plenty of fish and lots of affection and love and she will be loyal and chase rats away from your home.”
– Story adapted from: Temegil, J.E. (2004). A collection of Palauan legends. Belau National Museum, Koror, Palau.
– Painting by John Swords