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A Grave, Costly Problem. According to a 2017 statewide survey, every year:
The Solution: In 2020, the New Mexico State Legislature passed Senate Bill 57 and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill into law. This law orders the Department of Agriculture to collect annual fees paid by dog & cat food corporations registering products to sell to New Mexicans, in order to fund low-cost statewide spay/neuter services.
Senate Bill 57 (SB 57), passed into law in early 2020, enacted a reasonable increase in the fee already paid by pet food manufacturers who sell dog and cat food and treat products in New Mexico, both in-store and online, in the amount of $100/year for each product (added to the current $2 registration fee).
At the completion of a three-year phase-in, the fee is expected to generate an estimated $1.47 million per year, with over $1.3 million annually dedicated to sterilizing an estimated 18,000-26,000 dogs and cats of New Mexico families. This type of fee increase has been proven to work in other states to reduce homeless animals and shelter pet euthanasia—while having no apparent impact on consumers, retailers, and the pet food industry.
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is tasked with collecting the SB 57 spay/neuter fees annually. It is currently considering newly drafted changes to their Department rules in order to carry out this task.
Use this form to email your comments on the new rule changes to the Department. If you would prefer to send a hardcopy letter by mail, please mail to:
New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Office of Director
MSC 3189
PO Box 30005
3190 S. Espina
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8005
Click below to personalize your letter. Add other facts, meaningful personal experiences, or other details that help explain why this issue is important to you. Thank you for taking time to advocate for spay/neuter!
Remember: You are one of many New Mexicans that will contact the Department of Agriculture about these rule changes. Be sure to EDIT THE DRAFT MESSAGE BELOW so that your message is viewed as unique, original, and from your heart. Here are some tips on how to personalize your message:
Thank you for your interest in this issue and Animal Protection Voters' efforts. While this particular initiative doesn't target leaders representing your state, there are many other ways you can support us!
For example, anyone can sign our petitions! Tell your community why you support this issue by sending an email or posting a link to this petition on social media.
Or, volunteer to help spread the word to animal advocates around the state.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at media@apvnm.org
Thanks again for your support!