PAWS Volunteers

COL1/11/2022 CH. 60 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

(a)The Director of Agriculture is authorized to recruit PAWS (Protecting Animal Welfare and Safety) volunteers to assist the Guam Department of Agriculture in the enforcement of the animal cruelty laws in Article 1 of Chapter 70, Title 9, Guam Code Annotated. The Director shall determine the types of circumstances in which volunteers are authorized to impound free-roaming, unleashed, or forfeited animals.

(1)The volunteers are authorized to issue citations and notices of violation for offenses committed under 9 GCA §§ 70.10 through 70.10.2.

(2)The volunteers are also authorized to impound animals subject to 10 GCA § 34127, if exigent circumstances are established by plain view. The Director shall establish identifying credentials, including, but not limited to, identification

(ID)cards and badges, and the appropriate use thereof.

(b)The Director shall establish procedures for recruitment and termination of volunteers and shall require certification, training, or education programs to be completed. No person required to register under 9 GCA Chapter 89, is eligible to be a volunteer under this Section.

(c)The Director may outsource the coordination and supervision of PAWS volunteers to the non-governmental organization that operates the animal shelter, or other not-forprofit animal protection organization. The agreement with said non-governmental organization to coordinate and supervise the PAWS volunteers may include, but not be limited to,

(1)provisions for waivers of liability,

(2)a code of standards, ethics and conduct,

(3)limitations of authority, and training.

(d)The Director may revoke a volunteer’s authority granted by this Section at any time and for any reason. The Department is not liable for any torts committed by said non-governmental organization, its directors, members, employees, or volunteers. COL1/11/2022 CH. 60 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

(e)Nothing herein is construed to limit the Department’s ability to administer this program consistent with the laws of Guam, or the Guam Administrative Rules and Regulations (GARR), including, but not limited to, the provisions of 5 GCA Chapter 9 or 4 GCA Chapter 6.