The Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley announced in a Facebook post on Thursday that small dogs and puppies were at risk of euthanasia by the end of, Friday at 5 PM.
"We’re at capacity right now with around 498 animals here at the center, we’d like to be around 425 or 450, so whatever animals come in we need to make room for," said the Executive Director of the shelter, Clint Thacker.
Thacker said they took in over 100 dogs in the past seven days, and they had no space for new incoming animals.
He also said that he contacted animal control about the reached capacity limit.
"I reached out to animal control and they’ve responded and said that they will tell people that are trapping not to trap them over the weekend," said Thacker.
KFOX14 asked Thacker if he believed the community had enough time to help the shelter.
"Yea, it's not a hard process, all you have to do is contact our foster coordinator and say id like to foster, shell asks you a few questions and you’re done. Can you be done in the afternoon? absolutely!" said Thacker
We also asked why the community was not given more notice about the issue.
"Our reasons why we don't give a week because then people will call us and say I want this one I want this one, ties up the process and ultimately that animal will never leave," said Thacker.
Diego Coughanour, a Las Cruces resident, was at the shelter on Friday to pick up his newly adopted dog, Lana, who he met at an event.
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He said he hopes more people step up to do the same.
"I do hope that people will start to adopt, so more animals could be saved and more cats and dogs can find homes and families," said Coughanour.
Thacker did not give a direct answer as to how many animals the shelter planned on euthanizing today.
He said the shelter wanted the animals out of the shelter either by adoption or fostering.
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