An animal advocacy group in Las Cruces asked the city to make it mandatory for pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.
The Animal Services Center of Mesilla Valley told KFOX14 there was an overpopulation of animals in the city.
The executive director of ASCMV said they had just as many animals impounded as the City of El Paso would, which is a much bigger city.
The Animal Advocates for Change told KFOX14 this was why the city needed to adopt an ordinance mandating pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.
"We need to control the population and there’s no way around it other than mandatory spay and neuter," said Geri Wheelis, Animal Advocates for Change.
"It’s a huge education undertaking and that can’t all fall on the shelter, the city has a responsibility also," said Kathe Stark.
Advocates said the shelter had to euthanize animals due to not having enough room. The shelter confirmed this with KFOX14.
"Before we think about sort of using a stick, I think it’s much more important that we make sure that people have full access to spay and neuter surgeries," said Las Cruces City Councilor, Becky Corran.
Corran acknowledged that this was an issue in the city and that if possible, she would not want to make spaying and neutering mandatory.
Instead, she wanted to offer more resources to the community.
She also said trying to enforce an ordinance like this would be difficult.
"It would be really difficult to enforce. Especially given, we have about 8 animal control officers total in the community," said Corran.
For over 15 years, the City of Albuquerque made it mandatory for their community to have pets spayed and neutered.
It was known as the HEART ordinance.
Albuquerque's Animal Welfare Department told KFOX14 that people who did not comply with the ordinance could face a fine of up to $500 or 90 days in jail.
"The only way we’re able to keep up with the enforcement of a pet happens to come into the shelter, so when it does come into the shelter and the pet is not in compliance, as we talk to the pet owner, we let them know that they must be spayed or neutered before they leave the shelter," said Desiree Cawley, the marketing manager for Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department.
The City of Las Cruces said that there are programs within the county and the city that offered low-cost spay and neuter services.
To learn more about those programs, click here.
To find adoptable animals at the ASCMV, click here.
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