Where There Are No Vets: How Lauren Cabrera Is Changing the Future of Animal Care on Saipan

On a small Pacific island surrounded by turquoise water and lush jungle, a quiet revolution in animal care is taking place. It’s being led not by a longtime veterinarian or a major nonprofit organization, but by Lauren Cabrera, a former Miss Vermont, founder of the Saipan Humane Society, first-year veterinary student at Washington State University, and a 2026 Vet Candy Rising Star.

Saipan, part of the Northern Mariana Islands, is a U.S. territory unlike anywhere else in the country. For years, the island had no resident veterinarian, leaving thousands of animals without reliable medical care. In a community of roughly 167,000 people, an estimated 60,000 free-roaming dogs wander the streets. Many are “boonie dogs,” resilient mixed-breed descendants of military dogs brought to the islands during World War II.

For most of these animals, there was no safety net — no accessible veterinary care, limited shelter space, and few opportunities for adoption. When Lauren Cabrera saw the need, she stepped in.

“I didn’t come here to become a veterinarian,” Lauren says. “But when there’s no one else, you either turn away or you show up.”

And show up she did.

From Human Medicine to Animal Rescue

Lauren’s career originally began in human healthcare. After graduating from nursing school in 2011, she became a nurse practitioner in 2015 and later completed a fellowship in palliative care in New York City. Her future seemed set.

Then, during a solo hiking trip in Maine, she met someone moving to Saipan. Curious and adventurous, she decided to go too, a decision that would completely reshape her life.

“At first, I was overwhelmed,” she recalls. “I missed the convenience of the mainland and eventually moved back for a while. But I realized very quickly that my heart was still on the island — with the animals.”

Building Veterinary Care From the Ground Up

Determined to address the island’s overwhelming need for animal care, Lauren founded the Saipan Humane Society, now the only organization providing comprehensive animal health services to thousands of pets every year.

Without a full-time veterinarian available locally, Lauren became much more than a rescue advocate. She learned hands-on animal care, collaborated with off-island veterinarians, coordinated medical treatment, managed population control efforts, and worked tirelessly to improve outcomes for abandoned and stray animals.

From vaccinations and parasite prevention to emergency rescue and humane euthanasia decisions, she filled critical gaps in care that many communities take for granted.

“People assume there’s always a vet clinic nearby,” she says. “Here, even basic medications can be difficult to access.”

Saving Boonie Dogs — One Flight at a Time

Lauren also launched the Boonie Flight Project, a rescue and relocation initiative that has transported hundreds of island dogs from Saipan and Guam to adoptive homes across the mainland United States since 2021.

What started as grassroots rescue work has grown into a larger movement fueled by volunteers, veterinary partners, and animal lovers committed to giving these dogs a second chance.

At the same time, Lauren has become a mentor and inspiration to future veterinary professionals nationwide through her leadership with pre-veterinary student organizations and advocacy work.

Veterinary School With a Purpose

This year, Lauren began her next chapter as a first-year veterinary student at Washington State University while continuing her mission to improve animal welfare in Saipan from afar.

Her long-term goal is deeply personal: to return home as Saipan’s first female resident veterinarian and create sustainable access to veterinary care for the island’s animals.

“It was incredibly difficult to leave my career in nursing,” she says. “But I realized this is where I’m meant to be. The animals need someone willing to fight for them.”

A Rising Star in Veterinary Medicine

Lauren’s dedication, creativity, and impact have already earned national recognition, including being named a Vet Candy Rising Star of 2026.

But for Lauren, the mission has never been about awards or recognition. It’s about showing what’s possible when compassion meets determination — even in places the world often overlooks.

In five years, she hopes to return to the same island that changed her life, now equipped with the medical training and tools to create lasting change for generations of animals and the people who love them.

And if there’s one thing Lauren Cabrera has already proven, it’s that extraordinary change can begin with one person simply deciding to show up.