OCTOBER 2023
PRESS RELEASE: 200 Dogs and Cats Spayed/Neutered in 3 Days
The Animal Welfare Coalition of Northeastern New Mexico (AWC) conducted a another free spay/neuter clinic providing service to a total of 200 animals – 99 dogs and 101 cats – in Las Vegas/San Miguel County over three days from Friday through Sunday, October 13 through 15. The clinic was the third free spay/neuter clinic the AWC provided during the past year for a total of 549 cats and dogs. To create these clinics the AWC partners with Luna Community College in Las Vegas and Animal Balance, another animal welfare organization. Members of the community signed their pets up months in advance and were called in the weeks leading up to the clinic to be scheduled. Also available for free at the clinic were rabies and other vaccinations and microchips, which can be scanned by any veterinarian or shelter to reunite pets with their owners. All services were provided for free due to generous donors, in-kind gifts from several local businesses, and approximately 450 volunteer hours.
Spaying or neutering a pet helps control the pet homelessness crisis. Millions of healthy dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States each year because there are not enough homes to go around. There are also medical and behavioral benefits to spaying (female) and neutering (male). Some of the medical benefits include: spaying females prevents uterine infections and decreases the incidence of mammary tumors. Neutering males also prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems. Behavioral benefits include: female pets will not go into heat, which typically happens monthly in cats and two times yearly in dogs. Male pets will be less likely to roam away from home where they are liable to get injured. They also will be less likely to spray and may be less aggressive. Spaying and neutering before sexual maturity results in the most medical and behavioral benefits and gives both dogs and cats the chance to live a longer and healthier life.
The AWC is a non-profit created in 2008 by local citizens compelled to address animal welfare in Las Vegas and San Miguel County. They managed the animal shelter serving Las Vegas and San Miguel County from 2013-2022 where they consistently had live release rates higher than 95%, attained veterinary care in a timely manner for sick and injured animals, and avoided serious contagious disease outbreaks through industry standard vaccinations and sanitation. Today the AWC promotes a healthier community for humans and dogs and cats by providing free spay/neuter clinics, free vaccination clinics, and free microchips. Future spay/neuter and vaccination clinics will be scheduled as funding is secured.
According to AWC President Marshall Poole, “Spaying and neutering pets is the best way to reduce the number of stray street dogs and feral cat colonies in our communities.” Citizens can call or email the AWC to find out more about upcoming clinics and to get on the waiting list: awcnortheastnmoffice@gmail.com or (505) 426-6715.
Read the story in the Optic newspaper from Nov 22, 2023 HERE.
SEPTEMBER 2023
PRESS RELEASE: AWC vaccinates more than 50 dogs against rabies
The Animal Welfare Coalition of Northeastern New Mexico (AWC) provided a free vaccination clinic to more than 50 dogs in Las Vegas/San Miguel County on Sunday September 24, 2023. Two vets donated their time: Dr Brainerd of the Brainerd Animal Health Center in Sapello, and State Veterinarian Dr. Zimmerman. They were assisted by two volunteer vet techs: Amber Irons, and Pamela Sue Gallegos. Dogs received a rabies vaccine and the DHPP vaccine (commonly known as the distemper/parvo vaccine) along with the required documentation and rabies tags. These vaccinations were provided for free due to several generous donors and over 100 volunteer hours from the AWC and community members.
The latest report from the NM Dept of Health dated September 15, 2023 reported three confirmed cases of rabies in bats in San Miguel County and one case of rabies in a dog from Bernalillo County. Left untreated rabies is 99.9% fatal in both humans and animals. State statue and local ordinances require that dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies.
The DHPP vaccination protects against four deadly diseases: (1) canine distemper which is a contagious viral infection that attacks a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems, (2) the parvovirus which mainly targets the gastrointestinal tract resulting in vomiting and bloody diarrhea, (3) the hepatitis virus which typically damages the liver but can also affect other organs and (4) the parainfluenza virus which is a respiratory infection and spreads rapidly between dogs.
The AWC is a non-profit created in 2009 by local citizens compelled to address animal welfare in Las Vegas and San Miguel County. They set the standard for excellence in animal welfare when they managed the animal shelter serving Las Vegas and San Miguel County from 2012-2022. Known as “The Little Shelter that Could” they consistently had live release rates over 95%, attained veterinary care in a timely manner for sick and injured animals, and avoided serious contagious disease outbreaks through industry standard vaccination and sanitation.
Today the AWC promotes a healthier community for humans and dogs/cats by providing free spay/neuter clinics, free vaccination clinics, and free microchips. Future spay/neuter and vaccination clinics will be scheduled as funding is secured. According to AWC Vice-President Jacque Aragon, “The health of our community is tied to the health of our animals and we are committed to providing these services.” Citizens can call or email the AWC to find out more about their upcoming clinics and to get on the waiting list: awcnortheastnmoffice@gmail.com or (505) 426-6715.
Read the story in the Optic newspaper from Oct 19, 2023 HERE.
AUGUST 2023
PRESS RELEASE: AWC spays/neuters 175 animals in three days
The Animal Welfare Coalition of Northeastern New Mexico (AWC) has once again conducted a large-scale free spay/neuter clinic for dogs and cats in the Las Vegas and San Miguel County area. The AWC partnered with Luna Community College in Las Vegas and Animal Balance, another animal welfare organization, to sponsor the three-day clinic held Friday June 23 through Sunday June 25. Eighty-seven dogs and eighty-eight cats were spayed or neutered. Microchips, which can be scanned by any veterinarian or shelter to reunite pets with their owners, were available for free. All of these services were able to be provided for free due to several generous donors, in-kind gifts from several local businesses, and approximately 1,000 volunteer hours.
The AWC’s previous spay/neuter clinic was November 11-13, 2022, also at Luna Community College, where they spayed or neutered and provided rabies and other age-appropriate vaccines to 174 dogs and cats for free.
The AWC set the standard for excellence in animal welfare in the community as the AWC Pet Center when they managed the animal shelter serving Las Vegas and San Miguel County for a decade. Known as “The Little Shelter that Could” they consistently had live release rates over 95%, attained veterinary care in a timely manner for sick and injured animals, and avoided serious contagious disease outbreaks through industry standard vaccination and sanitation.
Currently the AWC is focused on continuing to provide spay/neuter services for Las Vegas and San Miguel County. Another 3-day spay/neuter clinic is planned for this fall as well as separate vaccination clinics, dates TBD. According to AWC President Marshall Poole, “The health of our community is tied to the health of our pets. Keeping dogs and cats current on their vaccinations, especially rabies, and reducing the number of unwanted pets in the area will help us all live healthy lives.”
Citizens can call or email the AWC to find out more about their upcoming clinics and to get on the waiting list for services: awcnortheastnmoffice@gmail.com or (505) 426-6715.
Read the story in the Optic newspaper from August 10, 2023 based on this press release HERE.
APRIL 2023
PRESS RELEASE: Animal Welfare Coalition: Same Name, New Focus
The Animal Welfare Coalition of Northeastern New Mexico (AWC) now has a new vision, mission, and logo. Last summer the AWC stopped managing the Las Vegas city animal shelter and started evaluating their resources and the community’s needs. In order to continue the strong name identity they have in the animal welfare community, the AWC kept their name but designed a new logo to go with their next objective: serving as a resource to promote humane principles, compassionate care, and prevention of cruelty to animals through programs and learning opportunities.
The AWC held a public community meeting, April 14, 2023, at the Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas, NM. They announced their new vision and mission statements and revealed their new logo. In alignment with their new mission they hosted Animal Protection of New Mexico who gave a presentation on state, county, and city animal ordinances to more than forty citizens in attendance. The AWC will offering a low cost spay/neuter clinic for Las Vegas and San Miguel County this summer and in the coming months they will have an emergency food pantry to help people feed household pets as prices rise.
“After careful consideration we reached the conclusion that the best way we can serve our community is to provide resources helping people and their companion animals, providing emergency pet food, information, and with free or low cost spay/neuter to reduce the number of unwanted animals,” said Board President Marshall Poole.
Read the story in the Optic newspaper from May 5, 2023 based on this press release HERE.
NOVEMBER 2022
174 Dogs and Cats Spayed/Neutered in 3 Days
The Animal Welfare Coalition of North Eastern New Mexico (AWC) hosted Animal Balance, an animal welfare organization providing low-cost spay/neuter services across the globe for almost twenty years, for a three day spay/neuter clinic—Friday Nov 11-Sunday Nov 13—at Luna Community College located in Las Vegas, NM. Thanks to several generous grants and over 700 volunteer hours accumulated in the weeks leading up to the clinic as well as during the clinic, they were able to provide free spay/neuter services and appropriate vaccinations to 91 dogs and 83 cats. Microchips were available for $10.
The Animal Welfare Coalition set the standard for excellence in animal welfare in their community. First, as the AWC Pet Center they managed the animal shelter serving Las Vegas and San Miguel for a decade and became known as “The Little Shelter that Could.” There they consistently had live release rates over 90%, attained veterinary care in a timely manner for sick and injured animals, and avoided serious contagious disease outbreaks through industry standard vaccination and sanitation.
Now the AWC is shifting their focus to providing low cost spay/neuter services for Las Vegas and San Miguel County. Their board vice-chair Jacque Aragon says, “One of the biggest animal welfare needs in our community is inexpensive spay/neuter services. We have more dogs and cats than people who can care for them. If we can help create a healthy balance of pets to people then we can improve our community’s safety, reduce animal suffering, and help everyone thrive.”
JULY 2022
After much consideration, long discussions, a heavy heart, and a unanimous board vote, the Animal Welfare Coalition of Northeastern New Mexico will cease operation of the AWC Pet Center – the animal shelter serving Las Vegas and San Miguel County – on June 30, 2022. The AWC will continue to exist and serve the community in a variety of ways including providing a spay/neuter program, a TNR program, and possibly humane animal treatment education along with other opportunities that may arise.
Ten years ago, when the AWC was asked to take over the operation of the local shelter, we took on that daunting task because we believed we could create long-term sustainable change by working with the city and county as partners. Despite our best efforts championing and supporting local leaders, bringing in resources, and providing community outreach, the resistance, and quite frankly, outright rejection to valuing humane animal welfare by community leaders, has proven to be too much.
Our contract ends June 30, 2022. Because the AWC is not designated as a sole source provider, the city has issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) available by clicking HERE. If you take a moment to scan through it, you will see that no responsible animal welfare organization that values animal lives would submit a proposal.
Please read through the RFP and hold the City of Las Vegas to the shelter standards they listed including:
• Open six days a week
• Accurate accounting of all intakes and outcomes via an animal sheltering software service
• Operated by individuals or entities with a minimum of five years experience in animal sheltering
• Offer a lost/found service
• Offer an education program
• Offer a spay/neuter program
Most importantly, the City of Las Vegas should be prepared to start these services as of July 1, 2022. They have had since May 26, 2022 to create a solid operational plan for your community shelter.
Here are some of our concerns regarding whomever takes over the city animal shelter:
• Will the animals entering the City of Las Vegas animal shelter receive adequate medical care?
• Will the shelter meet basic sheltering standards including medical care, pain management, proper
nutrition, enrichment and socialization to name a few.
• Will they provide an accurate accounting of all intakes and outcomes using the Asilomar format
(the universal standard for animal sheltering)?
• Will they ensure intake and outcome information is easily accessible to the public and
regularly posted?
• Will they utilize humane euthanasia standards and protocols and make them clear and easily
accessible to the public?
• Will they demand humane euthanasias be performed by a licensed euthanasia technician or other
properly licensed veterinary professional?
• Will they require all policies and procedures to be developed by trained individuals experienced in
animal sheltering?
• Will they make sure there is a community cat program in place so feral cats are not routinely
euthanized?
Additionally, the City of Las Vegas still has empty animal control positions. The two individuals currently serving in those positions are actually employed in other departments. The animal control supervisor position has been eliminated.
We encourage you to continue to voice your concerns about animal welfare in our community to our community leaders.
It has been our great pleasure and honor to serve this community in the capacity of managing the animal shelter. We look forward to continuing to serve in new ways.
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JUNE 2022
Help the AWC by purchasing art at the Gallery 140 Benefit Show this month! Click HERE for more information.
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2020-21
The AWC has hay to give away so pets can stay warm as the temperatures drop this winter.
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2019
There is a crisis in San Miguel County and the AWC Pet Center is leading the way to a better life for so many neglected and abused animals.
In January of 2019 the AWC assisted with a seizure warrant resulting in the intake of thirty-two animals. These animals needed to be held in protective custody as the criminal case made its way through the judicial system.
Last week for the second time the defendant violated the court’s conditions of her release from jail. She was once again taken into police custody. Another sixty+ neglected animals are on a second property owned by the defendant. Their lives are also hanging in the balance.
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Department, the Fourth Judicial District, and AWC are now the bridge between a good outcome for these animals or a continued life of suffering and neglect. Our funds have been completely depleted by this ongoing, large scale case and you are our only hope.
Please HELP US help them by making a tax-deductible donation today.
Our goal is $20,000. THE FIRST $7,000 WILL BE MATCHED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR THROUGH GENEROUS PLEDGES FROM The Bonner Family Foundation and Charlotte Taft and Shelly Oram.
Please click DONATE now and continue reading to learn more…
Click here for Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas, NM, area dog food donation drop off locations (food will be picked up weekly by volunteers and delivered to the AWC Pet Center in Las Vegas): http://www.nmdog.org/
The back story:
In January, 2019, the AWC was called on by the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Department to assist in executing a seizure warrant at a self-proclaimed “animal sanctuary” in Ilfield, New Mexico of more than thirty animals reported to be living in filth and squalor. This case was not unfamiliar to the AWC or our sister rescue NMDOG.
Together, we have been receiving reports on the defendant for the past six years. With a newly elected sheriff, we participated in the execution of a search and seizure warrant along with NMDOG.
What we found at the location was heart wrenching, to put it mildly. We found caged dogs in horrific conditions and free roaming packs of dogs aggressive to each other and to the humans trying to help them. We also found boarded up isolation chambers holding traumatized goats and dogs, and cats living in filth. There were also many, many dead animals scattered about the property. We spent thirteen hours at the scene.
Seven agencies (five government agencies and two non-profits) worked together to seize thirty-two live animals. Then it was the AWC Pet Center’s job to hold them in protective custody. This is an extremely tall order for any nonprofit organization.
We are a VERY SMALL organization, charged with the daily shelter operations of the City of Las Vegas and the county of San Miguel in addition to serving as an animal welfare resource hub for our community members. But a promise is a promise—so we stepped up to the task.
We were not prepared for the path this case would take…a very looong, drawn out road that has strained our financial resources, our daily care resources, our space, our medical resources and our emotional resources to the breaking point.
It is now October, 2019, and the case is still caught up in the legal system. Throughout it all, the AWC Pet Center has been working to meet the special behavioral and social needs of these compromised animals and to create a future for them. No matter what, their welfare has been the bottom line.
Fast forward to August and more than $100,000 later in medical and daily care costs, all thirty-two animals from the January seizure were finally legally signed over to the permanent custody of the AWC Pet Center.
As a result of fierce determination and the invaluable assistance of many trained and experienced rescue partners and colleagues here in New Mexico and from across the country, all but four of the thirty-two animals from the January seizure have been placed in loving forever homes, long term rehabilitative foster homes, or long term rehabilitative approved partner rescue organizations. Although the court case continues, victory has come for these thirty-two.
They will never know another day of abuse, neglect or suffering. We are proud of the work we did to orchestrate these amazing outcomes.
At the same time the AWC was securing legal custody of the January group of animals, the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Department and the Fourth Judicial District was fast tracking the active investigation on a second property owned by the defendant, located in Rowe, New Mexico.
An additional sixty+ animals were discovered “housed” on the second property. Words cannot describe the feeling of utter panic and worry that fell upon everyone at the AWC Pet Center and our partner organizations.
How could we ever accommodate another large scale seizure?! The answer was—we could not.
Many conversations were started with large, nationally-recognized organizations that are built for this type of large scale seizure case. However, due to some dicey legalities, natural disasters across the country, and their own resource limitations, help was not to come for a long while, if ever.
We are grateful for all these national organizations do and we completely understand their stand about this case in particular. Again, it would be up to the AWC and our partner organizations to carry the weight. This is extremely difficult when you are already flat out on the ground—and that is where we are currently.
Another preliminary hearing date was set for October 15th. The defendant was taken into custody after being found in violation of the conditions of her release for the second time. Great news right?!
What does that mean for the sixty+ animals “housed” (and we use that term lightly) on the Rowe property? It means that the AWC is now responsible for their basic care and maintenance. Our trained staff and volunteers are being allowed onto the property to ensure the animals are being provided with the very basics of care—fresh food and water. However, animals are now dying on the property due to attacks by dog-aggressive dogs.
Other dogs have needed veterinary care or emergency euthanasia. We may now be faced with having to remove all the animals from the property without having legal custody. We have no immediate place to care for them and this will increase our costs tremendously.
We are not making improvements to the property—our goal is keeping the animals alive, healthy, and safe while we plan for their removal. We know this is hard for those who may not be involved in legal proceedings of cruelty, neglect and hoarding cases to understand. It is not in any animal lover’s nature to only provide the “bare minimum,” but that is the reality of this situation.
We ask that you believe in our professional expertise as we deal with the animals and the legal process. We are committed to do everything we possibly can in the long-term interest of all animals involved. We have proven our dedication and ability to you and the animals time after time.
Please understand that this is taking an extreme emotional, physical and mental toll for everyone involved, including AWC staff, partner organizations and of course, these animals that absolutely deserve SO MUCH more.
We are all doing our very best walking the thin line between legalities and our own personal opinions. We are all on the same team and we all want the same outcome. It’s best if we all continue to work together to ensure the desired outcome.
That is where you come in…
What can you do to help?
1) Make a much-needed monetary donation to help keep our shelter doors open so we can continue to serve all other animals in our community. Help keep our staff on the road with all they need to provide daily care to the animals in Rowe, to ensure the animals we are responsible for continue to receive the medical care they need and to help us purchase needed food and other supplies for an indefinite period of time as these cases make their long journey through the judicial system.
2) Donate dog food and deliver it to the AWC Pet Center in Las Vegas located at 1680 N. Grand Avenue or click on this link to find drop off locations in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.http://www.nmdog.org/ways-
3) Write letters to those involved in the legal case: the Fourth Judicial District Attorney and the State of New Mexico Attorney General and urge them to make this case a priority and to expend any and all resources needed to ensure these animals are removed from their current location and that the defendant is never in a position to hoard, abuse or neglect another animal, ever. DO NOT defame anyone in your communications, DO NOT use foul language and DO NOT berate them—doing so will only hurt our efforts.
4) BE A VOICE for all animals and REPORT anything in your community that seems “off.” If something doesn’t “seem right” then it probably isn’t and deserves to be looked into. Much of the movement in the Rowe case is a result of concerned and proactive neighbors…we applaud them for speaking out. #
5) NEVER send an animal, ANY animal, anywhere unless you have personally done your due diligence. This includes a personal site visit and a look at the organization’s financial statements (all legitimate 501(c)3 organizations’ financial info and status can be found by a quick IRS or GuideStar search).
Does the sanctuary or rescue have enough people to provide daily care to the number of animals they are housing? Is daily enrichment provided? (walks, training, play groups and other positive mental stimulation)
Do they provide updates on their animals to the public? Is housing safe, clean and secure for the animals and will it keep them protected and comfy during inclement weather? Does the sanctuary or rescue provide proper medical care for and spay or neuter all residents?
A true rescue and/or sanctuary would never allow their animals to breed, fight and/or kill each other, suffer from untreated injury and/or illness, decline mentally by being locked in a cage 24/7 with no human interaction (solitary confinement), remain in unsanitary enclosures, consume rotten food, go without food and/or water, or run free outside of the “facility” to cause death and injury to either themselves or neighbor animals. ALL of these things were happening regularly at both of the defendant’s locations. Be diligent!
As a socially conscious animal shelter, the AWC Pet Center does what is best for each animal every single time.
Our success is not measured by one single statistic but by our ability to increase the quality of life for both pets and people in our community.
We work to save as many lives as possible, while ensuring that the pets we are caring for receive all the care they need and are happy and comfortable while they are with us. We know every animal as an individual and give each one the best outcome possible based on their needs.
So where are things currently?
There is another preliminary hearing set for November 15th in Magistrate court in Las Vegas. The state has called in expert witnesses to testify. The defendant has secured yet another (a third?) public defender attorney and continues to interfere with court ordered care and maintenance of the animals at the Rowe location from her jail cell.
The AWC continues to stretch our already completely depleted financial resources, our manpower resources, our emotional and mental resources, and the animals remain as captive prisoners. We will continue to fight this fight, alongside our law enforcement partners, to the very best of our ability.
However, we can no longer fight it alone.
We need your support, your faith, and your assistance now more than ever.
Thank you for believing in us and for carrying us through this extremely difficult time. Without you, we are nothing and without the AWC Pet Center so many animals in Las Vegas, San Miguel County, and surrounding areas would continue to suffer unimaginably.
Thank you for being our Village!
Media coverage of the Jessica Taylor case can be found at these links:
60 dogs left on compound while owner sits in jail on cruelty charges
Woman charged with animal abuse to remain in jail until hearing
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OCTOBER 2016
We understand that many animal lovers in our community have heard conflicting stories about what’s going on with the contract between the city and the AWC Pet Center.
Mr. Richard Trujillo, the City Manager, has given us this written statement:
“At this time the City of Las Vegas has committed to opening up the negotiation process of the renewal contract with AWC, first scheduled meeting is on November 8th, 2016 .”