February 10, 2022
There is just one week left in the 2022 thirty-day legislative session, which focuses primarily on budgetary and fiscal matters, but there are still a few animal-related legislative measures in the mix.
From zoo elephants, to shelter dogs and cats, to endangered wolves—here are the latest updates on how animals may be impacted by this year’s legislative session.
A Plan to Save More Shelter Dogs & Cats
New Mexico animal shelters have made great strides in saving the lives of homeless dogs and cats in the past several years. According to Animal Protection New Mexico’s animal shelter surveys, shelters brought their euthanasia rates from about 48% of their intakes in 2011, down to 21% of their intakes in 2017. In that same period, the number of shelter intakes decreased by 27%. We know that the key to further progress is statewide, affordable, and accessible spay/neuter for New Mexico’s dogs and cats.
House Memorial 24 directs New Mexico county managers, in collaboration with animal shelters and animal welfare organizations, to establish a taskforce to develop a comprehensive plan with the goal of saving the lives of all healthy, adoptable shelter dogs and cats by 2025. Animal Protection Voters supports the proposed task force as a step forward (with engagement from county leadership) in continuing to address this problem. We are looking forward to contributing directly to this work.
Following a unanimous do-pass vote by the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee (HCPAC) last week, the bill currently awaits a vote on the House floor. Now is a great time to reach out and ask your state representative to vote yes on HM 24.
Addressing Veterinary Care Needs at Accredited Zoos
You may have seen last year that several apes and elephants at the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo lost their lives to disease, and House Bill 56 was introduced this year to address one aspect of the challenges to keeping wild and exotic animals in captivity at zoos and aquariums. HB 56 extends the length (from sixty days to six months) of temporary veterinary medicine permits for out-of-state vets contracted by governments to provide services at a nationally accredited zoo or aquarium.
Last week, this measure was passed by both the HCPAC and the House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee with unanimous do-pass vote. Then, on Tuesday of this week, after a robust debate about the challenges of accessing veterinary care across all sectors of animal medicine, the full House approved HB 56 by a unanimous 63-0 vote.
The bill has now crossed over to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Health & Public Affairs Committee (SHPAC). The SHPAC is scheduled to meet Monday, February 14th. If your Senator sits on this committee (see the committee members listed here), please contact them to express your support of HB 56.
A Call for Big Action on Biodiversity
Did you know that New Mexico is the 4th most biodiverse state in the U.S.? Our state is home to more than 4,500 known native animal and plant species! Wildlife plays a critical role in our ecosystems and deserves a place on our landscapes.
Senate Joint Memorial 2 requests that the federal government establish a national biodiversity strategy with the support of Congress, federal agencies, and state, local and tribal governments; requests all parties support the strategy; and requests they take actions to protect species and habitats and help forestall the loss of biodiversity.
Having unanimously passed the Senate Rules Committee, the Senate Conservation Committee heard the bill last Thursday and passed it by a 7-2 vote. SJM 2 now awaits a vote on the Senate floor. Please reach out to your Senator to urge their yes vote on SJM 2.
An Anti-Wolf Memorial Rears Its Ugly Head
Unfortunately, a House memorial has been introduced in an attempt to complain about the reintroduction of endangered Mexican wolves, the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. In 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced Mexican wolves to areas in Arizona and New Mexico in an effort to save them from extinction. One of the most endangered mammals in North America, there are only 186 wild Mexican wolves left in the U.S. (as of 2021).
Overstating the risk of cattle depredation by Mexican wolves, House Memorial 49 calls on the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish (NMDGF) to “study how to create greater protections for livestock and address economic losses [by ranchers] caused by the reintroduction of the Mexican wolf.”
The reality is that wolf predation represents a tiny percentage of livestock losses. Statistics show the top causes of cattle deaths include respiratory and digestive issues, birthing complications, weather exposure, and other disease—not predation from the few remaining Mexican wolves. Further, there are myriad strategies and collaborators available to the ranching industry to help reduce wildlife-livestock conflicts. Surely the priority of NMDFG is and should remain the preservation of endangered species.
Because HM 49 was introduced as a memorial rather than a bill, it does not carry the weight of law. Even so, it is an attempt to undermine the protections of a highly endangered native species. HM 49 has been referred to the House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Committee, and Animal Protection Voters will oppose HM 49 if it moves forward.
Be sure to follow APV’s social media, e-alerts, and blog posts where we will keep you updated on crucial animal-related legislation. We will also notify you of opportunities to speak up about important issues.
As always, we thank you for your engagement and support for the animals where it really matters. Together, we are making a difference.
