Spay-neuter bills need our support

WHAT DO these numbers mean: 135,000 and 67,000? Those are the number of cats and dogs who enter New Mexico’s animal shelters every year and the number who are euthanized every year. Imagine that! In 5 years, well more than half a million dogs and cats wind up in animal shelters across our state. Over 330,000 of those dogs and cats are euthanized. The best way to reduce these numbers is a robust, low-cost spay/neuter program across New Mexico. How to afford an effective, low-cost spay/neuter program to address this problem? By increasing the pet food license and/ or registration fees New Mexico charges to pet food manufacturers — who do a lucrative business in our state — from $2 per year to $100 per year for each product of dog and cat food and treats sold in New Mexico. Many other states charge pet food manufacturers from $50 to over $250 annually. The approximately $1 million raised by this increase will be used to finance a statewide, low-cost spay/ neuter program.

Senate Bill 51 and House Bill 64 propose this solution for New Mexico’s dog and cat overpopulation problem. Please contact your state representative and senator to let them know you want them to support this essential legislation.

Lobbyists for pet food manufacturers are using scare tactics to persuade our representatives and senators to vote against this increase by telling them we consumers won’t be able to afford food for our pets if this fee increase goes through.

However, even if pet food manufacturers pass the entire increase on to consumers, that would mean an increase per pet owning household of $1.38 per year. Isn’t $1.38 annually worth spending to end the suffering of homeless dogs and cats in New Mexico? Let your senator and representative know you want them to vote YES on SB 51 and HB 64.

KATHLEEN O’KEEFE Rio Rancho