Loading....

Thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham For Signing SB 57 Into Law To Save Tax Dollars & Pets' Lives With Affordable Spay/Neuter!

A Grave, Costly Problem. According to a 2017 statewide survey:

More than 100,000 dogs and cats enter New Mexico’s animal shelters
Over 20,000 dogs and cats are euthanized in our shelters
Animal control and sheltering costs our communities more than $51 Million—and at least $38 Million of these costs are paid by taxpayer dollars every year

The Solution: A 2012 Senate-requested study showed that the solution is to invest significant dollars in statewide spay/neuter—and the best, most effective, equitable, and feasible funding source is a pet food manufacturer fee.

If you live in New Mexico, you're no stranger to the tragedy of our dog and cat overpopulation crisis. The solution to companion animal overpopulation is providing low-cost access to spay/neuter services for low-income families.

Senate Bill 57 (SB 57)—introduced by Sen. Jacob Candelaria, Sen. Peter Wirth, Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, and Rep. Joanne Ferrary—will enact 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 amount of $100/year for each product (added to the current $2 registration fee).

At the completion of a 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 income-qualified New Mexicans.

This 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. Three states have passed laws to increase pet food manufacturer fees in order to fund spay/neuter: Maine, Maryland, and West Virginia—and they report no negative impact, but they do report dramatic, positive results.

SB 57 has been APPROVED by the NM State Legislature by a 27-14 vote in the Senate, and a 39-22 vote in the House of Representatives, and has now been SIGNED INTO LAW by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham!

LEARN MORE IN OUR FACT SHEET »

Thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for signing Senate Bill (SB) 57 into law.

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Address, line 1*

City*

State*

Zip Code*

I'd like to receive updates from this organization

Take action by clicking the button below, where you'll be provided with a draft message to send to the Governor.

PLEASE EDIT THE DRAFT MESSAGE PROVIDED FOR YOU.

Unique, original letters are much more powerful than submitting a form letter, so please make changes and add your own words to the text so that your message is in your own voice. Please always remain respectful and focused.

Take Action

Take Action: Thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham For Signing SB 57 Into Law!

Click below to personalize your letter. Add other facts, meaningful personal experiences, or other details that help Governor Lujan Grisham know why this issue is important to you. Thank you for taking time to advocate for spay/neuter!

Remember: You are one of hundreds of New Mexicans that will contact Governor Lujan Grisham about this bill. 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:

In or after the first line, include the town/county you live in, and any special affiliations or roles you serve in your community.
Insert your own personal story about why dogs and cats, shelter animals, and/or spay/neuter services are important in your life.
Add additional talking points and move/delete paragraphs so that the facts that your email contains the facts that most resonate with you.
Be sure that the words reflect your voice.
Don't worry about including every single bit of information about the bill—again, many others will contact the Governor, too. Focus on being brief, accurate, and polite with a personal connection.
Sometimes an email might get lost in a busy inbox, so ALWAYS FOLLOW UP WITH A QUICK PHONE CALL: Introduce yourself, mention you're calling to thank Gov. Lujan Grisham for signing SB 57 into law, and let her know you sent an email with more information. The Governor's office phone number is: (505) 476-2200

Thank you for sponsoring SB 57.

Subject: Thank You for Sponsoring Spay/Neuter Funding Legislation: SB 57

Message:

As your constituent, I am writing to thank you for sponsoring Senate Bill 57. New Mexicans already pay for the costs of our state's pet overpopulation problem, to the tune of $51+ million a year in tax dollars and non-profit donations. A new statewide survey of animal shelters conducted by Animal Protection of New Mexico revealed that more than 100,000 homeless dogs and cats are entering our state’s animals shelters, with over 20,000 being euthanized simply due to lack of an adoptive home. Three states have passed laws to increase pet food manufacturer fees in order to fund spay/neuter: Maine, Maryland, and West Virginia—and they report no negative impact on consumers, retailers, or the pet food industry, but they do report dramatic, positive results. New Mexicans deserve this common-sense solution to save lives and conserve our hard-earned dollars, and to address the pet overpopulation head-on in order to save costs over time. Thank you so much for your efforts to enact this solution for all of New Mexico.

Remaining:

THANK YOU For Signing SB 57 Into Law!

Subject: THANK YOU For Signing SB 57 Into Law!

Message:

Remaining:

Thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham For Signing SB 57 Into Law To Save Tax Dollars & Pets' Lives With Affordable Spay/Neuter!

PLEASE EDIT THE DRAFT MESSAGE PROVIDED FOR YOU.

Take Action: Thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham For Signing SB 57 Into Law!

Sorry, this action is only for New Mexicans. But, you can still help!

Thank You! Your action plays an important role in ensuring the humane treatment of animals.