Bernalillo County Animal Ordinance NR
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
The Board of Commissioners, on Tuesday, Nov. 27, after a thorough review of the ordinance by the Animal Care Ordinance Review Committee and individual commissioners.
“After hearing from residents and animal advocates from around the county, it was apparent that the animal care ordinance needed to be revised to meet the diverse needs of Bernalillo County,” says Bernalillo County Commission Chair Art De La Cruz.
“We thank the members of the Animal Care Ordinance Review Committee for their hard work and dedication and we are pleased to make these changes become a part of the county’s animal care ordinance.”
In March 2011, the Board of Commissioners appointed a nine-member review committee to conduct a review of the county’s animal care ordinance and report its findings to the board. The committee was made up of community members from diverse backgrounds.
The committee met several times to craft recommendations. The county’s animal care director served as liaison to the committee.
“All those involved in this effort shared the same philosophy of better animal care and improved public safety for the citizens and animals in Bernalillo County,” saysBernalillo County Animal Care Services Director Matt Pepper.
Some of the major changes include:
- Tethering of animals is no longer allowed
- Mandatory microchipping for all pets
- Permitted activities have been restructured to better regulate breeder and litter permits
- More clarity in the wording of the care and maintenance section of the ordinance, making it more in step with the views of many county residents
- Exempting federally regulated research facilities, such as the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, from the animal care ordinance.
