Private animal shelter now requiring appointments
Posted at: 03/01/2013 6:44 PM
By: Chris Ramirez, KOB Eyewitness News 4
A new policy at the state’s largest private animal shelter forces pet owners to make an appointment before dropping off a dog or cat.
Animal Humane New Mexico administration said they are trying to find ways to cut down on the number of pets euthanized. The latest idea is to stop allowing people to walk in and drop off an animal. People are also required to pay a $45 fee for dropping off an animal.
Some worry the new policy will unfairly displace the burden of abandon animals to the city’s public animal shelters. Animal Humane NM administrators disagree.
"We found that leading shelters in states that have the lowest euthanasia rates have moved to managed admissions or pet admissions by appointments,’ said Dawn Glass, Marketing Director at Animal Humane NM. “We did tons of research and knew it could work here."
Glass said the appointments give pet owners an opportunity to receive counseling and get advice. For example, if a dog owner wants to get rid of the pet for behavioral problems, the organization may offer training classes. If a pet owner falls on hard times and thinks he has no choice but to give up his dog, Animal Humane NM may offer free dog food or veterinary care.
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