HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 79

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Joe Thompson

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO DECLARE FEBRUARY "SPAY AND NEUTER AWARENESS MONTH" AND REQUESTING STATE OFFICIALS TO TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION.

     WHEREAS, cats and dogs provide companionship to and share the homes of over sixty-three million people in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, two unaltered cats and their offspring can produce four hundred twenty thousand cats in seven years, and two unaltered dogs and their offspring can produce sixty-seven thousand dogs in six years; and

     WHEREAS, humane societies and shelters in New Mexico are burdened with an overpopulation of approximately ninety thousand cats and dogs each year, many of which, although healthy and adoptable, are killed simply because there are not enough good homes; and

     WHEREAS, city and county governments spend an estimated fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) annually on animal control programs aimed at coping with the surplus of homeless cats and dogs; and

     WHEREAS, spaying and neutering cats and dogs has been shown to drastically reduce cat and dog overpopulation; and

     WHEREAS, spaying and neutering programs have been shown to be more cost-effective in countering the homeless animal crisis than euthanasia; and

     WHEREAS, funding is needed to provide spay and neuter services to low-income families; and

     WHEREAS, veterinarians, humane societies, national and local animal protection organizations, private citizens and entire communities worked together to ensure the spaying and neutering of thousands of companion animals across New Mexico in the last year; and

     WHEREAS, "spay day" efforts have served to educate countless people about the need to spay or neuter cats and dogs;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governor be requested to declare February "Spay and Neuter Awareness Month" in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that state and local officials be requested to take action to reduce companion animal overpopulation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the governor.

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