House Bill 123, sponsored by New Mexico State Rep. Carl Trujillo, a Democrat from Santa Fe, was introduced in direct response to persistent requests from legislators seeking a funding mechanism for statewide, low-cost spay-neuter services, according to a news release from an animal advocacy group.
The bill is designed to provide sustained funding to reduce New Mexico’s dog and cat overpopulation problem that results in over 65,000 homeless animals being euthanized each year, the release from Animal Protection Voters stated.
In 2011, Senate Memorial 36 requested a study to identify the most effective way to establish and sustain a fund to help with the cost of spay/neuter services for animals of lower income New Mexicans. The funding mechanism identified as most plausible by the study and presented in HB 123 was overwhelmingly approved Monday by New Mexico’s House of Representatives.
“The serious challenge of dog and cat overpopulation in New Mexico affects not only animals, but also the safety and well-being of communities across the state. We have searched for ways to generate adequate funds to expand statewide, low-cost spay/neuter programs that help stem this costly and tragic problem. HB 123 is a strong response to the challenge,” Trujillo said.
The impact of homeless animals in New Mexico is staggering for New Mexico’s fiscal health and public safety. Costs for animal control, sheltering, and euthanasia across the state exceed $38 million annually. Creating more access to low-cost spay/neuter is a proven method that will help decrease the distressingly high euthanasia rates, some up to 80 percent to 90 percent in New Mexico shelters, he said.
State lawmakers created two funding mechanisms for low-cost spay/neuter in recent years, the spay/neuter license plate, and a voluntary tax-checkoff program. But they do not generate funds sufficient to address the crushing overpopulation problem. The house bill will generate about $700,000 per year to pay for thousands of low-cost spay/neuter surgeries by increasing the $2 fee New Mexico currently charges large pet food companies to sell dog and cat food in the state. Large companies would instead pay $102 per pet food label annually, putting New Mexico more in line with what many other states charge. Even if companies were to pass on increased fees to consumers, the fiscal impact would be just $1.48 per year for a pet-owning household, according to the release.
House Bill 123 provides exemptions for smaller pet food companies and prescription diets. Spay/neuter services would be available to income-qualifying new Mexicans.
The bill next goes to the New Mexico Senate.
