What: Performance, finances and programs of the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley (ASCMV) and the county and city animal control units that feed it.
Where it stands: Third-quarter live release rate 77 percent and 80 percent for the year (69 percent last year); financials through September 30 show spending at 20.2 percent of budget against a 25 percent benchmark. Resolution 26-09 ($1,000 Best Friends Foster Forward grant) approved unanimously.
Next: Staff plan to study surrender reasons and a wellness clinic, rebuild volunteer and foster programs, and bring a capital improvement plan to the board in the spring.
Details
Intake 2,463 and outcomes 2,471 for the quarter; euthanasias 552, the largest reason being lack of space (284).
Cannot afford care is the top and growing surrender reason; vet costs and lack of a local emergency vet were cited.
Volunteer and foster numbers are falling; changes are planned.
City and county animal control reported steady stray volumes, rising field returns and fewer bites.
Sources
YouTube auto-generated captions of the October 22, 2026 meeting; the agenda packet and slides were not read.
Third-quarter county, city and shelter reports, financial statements and committee reports presented; Best Friends Foster Forward grant (resolution 26-09) approved by unanimous roll call.