Albuquerque to lower shelter euthanasia rates through free spay/neuter vouchers for low-income pets

With a population of 523,000, (845,000 in its metro area) Albuquerque’s two animal control shelters are kept very busy. In 2009 they accepted 26,000 cats and dogs -- successfully adopting out about 16,000 -- but killing over 10,000 others– roughly 71 cats and dogs a day! As horrifying as this is, there’s nothing especially unique about it. The same thing happens in animal-control based-or-funded shelters throughout the country.

“There is one solution [to stop the killing], and it is spay and neuter programs” announced Mayor Berry at a special Spay Day USA Press Conference yesterday. Beginning in April, Albuquerque will start issuing no-cost vouchers to qualified low-income caregivers redeemable at local veterinary clinics.

This is great news on many levels for Albuquerque, for New Mexico – indeed for the nation.

First and foremost the announcement was made by the moral compass of Albuquerque – the mayor of New Mexico’s largest city. He stood front and center and announced that the killing of homeless cats and dogs is wrong.   As obvious as this is, it's rarely spoken out loud by shelter or government officials.  Second, instead of blaming the lower-income families whose pets fall below the traditional spay/neuter radar as “irresponsible pet owners causing pet overpopulation”, he's extending a helping hand– by providing free spay/neuter vouchers. Third, by working through the local veterinary network already in place in Albuquerque – instead of holding special event clinics or using one central (and often inaccessible) location – he is providing them with convenient access -- which is essential to getting lower-income family pets fixed.

It’s long been known that there is no such thing as a “no kill shelter” – to be” no kill” requires a community-based effort – eventually a nationally-based effort. It’s also long been known that killing of homeless cats and dogs is unnecessary. It has a solution that’s both simple and cost effective – pro-active spay/neuter of all cats living indoors and out, friendly and feral.   As helpful as private spay/neuter programs are, they can never be effective as similar work sanctioned by the community.  It’s nice to see that Albuquerque has recognized this and is now taking action to stop the killing – let’s hope other communities take notice and follow their example.