NEW MEXICO
(KRQE) –
It’s an ongoing problem in New Mexico, too many dogs and cats, and not enough homes. Spaying and neutering pets is the best solution, but animal providers said they need more funding.
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One squirmy young pup made his cries known at a spay and neuter clinic in Moriarty, and he wasn’t the only one. 270 pets were fixed that weekend. But owner of Rezdawg Rescue, Angela Cerci, said there are still more dogs than there are people to care for them. “The need is absolutely overwhelming,” said Cerci.
One spay and neuter clinic costs $40,000. Cerci said they break even or lose money at each one. “I’m worried about being able to sustain the programming,” said Cerci.
Cerci’s team fixed more than 2,000 animals in the last six months. To put on more clinics in underserved areas, they need more funding. Cerci said the state has it. “When you know that money is sitting there specifically for this in the state. It’s hard to understand why it’s not being released,” said Cerci.
Since 2020, the state has charged pet food manufacturers a fee to sell their products here, with the money earmarked for spay and neuter programs. “Currently, the Department of Agriculture has collected over three million dollars of spay-neuter funds,” said Jessica Shelton, Animal Protection NM.
To this day, programs haven’t seen a dime of it. That’s because the Pet Food Institute filed a lawsuit challenging the fees in 2020. The money has been tied up in litigation ever since.
When asked what could have been done in those five years, Cerci responded, “Oh gosh, a lot. I mean, hundreds of thousands of births could have been prevented.”
And a drop in births would mean more love and more homes for dogs throughout the state.
Despite the ongoing litigation, the vet board is accepting applications to release $1 million of the funds for spay and neuter programs.
In the last legislative session, lawmakers approved funding for animal welfare that could include spay and neuter services.
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