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It takes more than laws
to guarantee good care for your dog, cat, horse or other companion
animal. Here are some recommendations to help you give your animals
the care they need and deserve. (For more information call Animal
Protection of New Mexico (APNM)
505-265-2322 )
New Mexico State Law
requires that animals be provided necessary sustenance, which can
be defined as food, water, shade and shelter.
Food:
Food must be nutritious, healthy and suitable for the animals in
your care.
Water:
Animals need clean drinking
water at all times. This is especially important in our dry New
Mexico climate.
Shelter:
In addition to state laws regarding the mistreatment of animals,
many counties and cities have additional and more specific laws
that require shelter for animals be provided. Domesticated animals
(animals who depend on humans for survival) need protection from
the elements. You should provide weatherproof shelter for animals
in your care. For dogs and cats, the shelter should: have absorbent
bedding (like straw); be large enough for the animal to turn around
and stand up in; be small enough to retain the animal’s body
heat; and keep out rain, snow and wind. Horses and other larger
animals should have provided a place to get out of harsh weather,
wind and intense sun if they choose. Remember, animals burn more
calories when they are cold. It costs less to maintain their weight
and overall health when you help them keep warm!
Shade:
Animals need shade to protect them during hot weather. In addition
to state laws regarding the mistreatment of animals, many counties
and cities have additional and more specific laws that require animals
be provided shade. You should provide open shade (a shady area with
open air ventilation) to your animals. A dog house is the not the
same as open shade, because it can become as hot as an oven on a
warm day.
Confinement:
It is against the law to let domesticated animals run at large.
Your animal must stay on your property. Because chaining for long
periods of time is harmful to animals, some counties and cities
limit the amount of time an animal can be chained or staked. Even
if your area doesn’t have such laws, stop and think how bored
and lonely a chained dog must be. Dogs, cats, and horses are, by
nature, intelligent, social creatures. They need the company of
people or other animals for happiness. Animals who are chained or
confined all of the time develop bad behaviors such as constant
barking, territory marking, aggression or, in the case of horses,
cribbing. Limit the amount of time your animal is chained or tied.
Take your dog for a walk. Spend some time grooming your horse. Play
with your cat. Put yourself in their place and do what you can to
provide top-rate care!
Vaccinations:
State law requires dogs and cats have a rabies shot every year.
Your animals should receive regular veterinary care to prevent and
treat disease or injury. Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations
on preventive care, including disease preventing shots, for your
animals.
Identification:
Keep an ID tag on your dog. The tag should state the animal’s
name, your phone number and your address. If your dog gets lost
or picked up by animal control, you can recover your animal faster
if this tag information is available. To prevent accidental injury
or death, cats’ ID tags should be attached to a break-away
collar.
Spay and Neuter:
Most counties and cities regulate the number of dogs and cats people
can keep. “Hobby breeding” permits are intended to help
control breeding and prevent an overpopulation of dogs and cats.
Spaying or neutering (minor surgeries that prevent companion animals
from having babies) keeps millions of unwanted animals from being
killed each year. A spayed or neutered animal is healthier, less
likely to roam, and will make a more devoted companion. Many programs
are in place to help with the costs of the spay or neuter surgery.
Please call your local humane society or APNM (505/265-2322) for
more information.
Remember, animals in our care depend on us for survival as
well as happiness. Stop and think about your animals’ daily
lives. Are they bored, lonely, hot or cold? Are they suffering silently
in your own backyard? Put yourself in their place and imagine what
their daily life is like. Would it make you happy? Take care of
your animals because it’s the right thing to do AND it’s
the law.
New Mexico
State Law 30-18-1 Cruelty to Animals — Extreme Cruelty to Animals
A. Cruelty to animals consists of a person: (1) negligently mistreating,
injuring, killing without lawful justification or tormenting an
animal; or (2) abandoning or failing to provide necessary sustenance
to an animal under that person’s control. B. ...”lawful justification
means”: (1) humanely destroying a sick or injured animal; or (2)
protecting a person or animal from death or injury due to an attack
by another animal.” C. Whoever commits cruelty to animals is guilty
of a misdemeanor.... Upon a fourth or subsequent conviction for
committing cruelty to animals, the offender is guilty of a fourth
degree felony.D. Extreme cruelty to animals consists of a person:
(1) intentionally or maliciously torturing, mutilating, injuring
or poisoning an animal; or (2) maliciously killing an animal. E.
Whoever commits extreme cruelty to animals is guilty of a fourth
degree felony.
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