Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley at capacity despite new building’s opening
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley in Las Cruces recently opened a brand new building, yet the shelter remains at capacity.
The building had its grand opening on December 7th, and while the event led to a boost in adoptions, the shelter still has very little room for new animal intake.
“We have 380 animals here, and that includes the old and the new center," says Clint Thacker, the director of ASCMV.
He says the shelter’s main purpose is for animal control intake, such as stray dogs, and people surrendering their animals may be faced with a hard truth about what will happen to them if they’re to ASCMV's shelter.
“We’re telling individuals that when they surrender their own animals, likely that animal is going to euthanized," says Thacker.
He says a number of animals that had "very little wrong with them" were euthanized the day before grand opening because there was simply no room for them.
“Only come to us if you’ve exhausted everything possible," says Thacker.
"We have a resource book that we give to individuals when they come here, it has lists of animal-friendly apartments, it has a list of other rescues in the area, as well as other outside the area that they can contact, see if they can take the animal," he adds.
ASCMV says the easiest way for the public to help is to adopt, and to foster.
The shelter currently has a December deal on adoptions, where 75 dollars will get an animal that has already been spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped.
Any animal in the shelter is also available for fostering, and the shelter will do "everything in its power" to help with any needs.
“When you take home a foster, we try to supply everybody with supplies you need for that fostered animal, if it's a dog we send you with toys, treats, blankets, and training tips and guidelines," says ASCMV foster coordinator Vanessa Chastain.
A list of adoptable animals at ASCMV can be found here.
