“Dogs can’t add, and cats can’t subtract, but they both can multiply”
By Lisa Jennings, APV Executive Director
Friday, Feb. 3, 2017
Wow! Hats off to the caring New Mexicans who today took time from their jobs, families, and other commitments to come to Santa Fe to speak up for House Bill 123, sponsored by Rep. Carl Trujillo (D-Santa Fe). This bill will establish a funding mechanism for low-cost spay-neuter services for dogs and cats of income-qualifying New Mexicans! Read more about the bill details here >>
Today’s legislative hearing was in front of the House Taxation & Revenue Committee, the second committee referral for HB 123. When Rep. Trujillo, as Committee Vice Chair, asked who in the audience was there to speak for the bill, almost the entire room raised their hands! It was a powerful visual.
If you missed this morning’s hearing, you can view the video recording here — House Bill 123 gets taken up around the 10:03:00 mark.
Those in the audience represented caring New Mexicans from across the state who struggle every day to address crushing animal overpopulation in their communities. They came from Gallup, the Navajo Nation, Jemez Springs, Los Alamos, Pecos, Jemez Pueblo, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Socorro, Chimayo, and other communities. Although from different areas of the state, their message was the same: “New Mexico needs to invest more funds in low-cost spay-neuter to reduce the tragic euthanasia of 60,000 animals every year, to increase public safety, and to save money in the long run.”
In the hearing, we articulated that for every dollar spent on low-cost spay-neuter, there is a resultant savings of over $35 in reduced animal control costs over 10 years. The funding mechanism being proposed in HB 123 is to increase the meager fee pet food companies currently pay to sell their foods in New Mexico. Other states charge much more to do business in those states, and it makes sense for New Mexico’s fees to be more in line with other states. The proposed increase will generate about $700,000-$800,000, funding about 11,000 low-cost spay-neuters each year! Imagine the positive change these services would create!
Every person who spoke today was eloquent, passionate, and hopeful that their pleas for help in their communities are heard by the committee members. Because of time constraints, the committee was not able to finish its evaluation of the bill, so it will resume debate on HB 123 on Monday at 8:30 am in Room 317. HB 123 will be the first bill on the agenda.
The quote of the day, accompanied by laughter throughout the committee room, came from Jane Carson, a veteran Army nurse and long-time spay-neuter advocate from Pecos PAWS: “Dogs can’t add, and cats can’t subtract, but they both can multiply.”
We encourage people to come back to Santa Fe on Monday morning to be present for the balance of the debate on this issue of critical importance to our communities. We are a tireless, dedicated, and generous community of animal advocates.
Thank you for doing the difficult and painful work you do in your communities every day. And we especially thank you for joining us in Santa Fe to take part in our democracy where we can make powerful changes to public policy for animals and our communities!
UPDATE: (2/6) The House Tax and Revenue Committee voted on House Bill 123 today, and we are thrilled to report that committee members PASSED the bill today by a bipartisan vote of 11-4! HB 123’s next step is the House floor, and it could be up for a vote as soon as a few days from now. Everyone, please contact your State Representative and urge them to support HB 123 on the floor!
