Albuquerque requires sterilization of dogs and cats over six months old unless owners pay for and maintain an intact-animal permit, one of the strictest such laws in the Southwest.
Albuquerque's HEART ordinance, ROA 1994 Chapter 9 Article 2, requires that every dog or cat over six months be spayed or neutered. Owners who wish to keep an intact animal must obtain an intact-animal permit from Animal Welfare, pay an annual fee, and meet conditions including secure containment and microchip registration. Breeders need a separate permit and must comply with breeding-litter limits. The ordinance is enforced through impound surcharges, with unaltered impounded animals reclaimable only after sterilization or permit issuance.
Unaltered animals trigger higher impound and reclaim fees, and repeated violations or unpermitted litters can result in citations, court-ordered sterilization, and misdemeanor charges.
Albuquerque, NM
All licensed dogs and cats in Albuquerque must be microchipped, with chip information registered to the owner and updated when the animal or contact informat...
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque has NO breed-specific legislation. No breed bans (including pit bulls). The HEART Ordinance focuses on individual animal behavior rather than bre...
See how Albuquerque's mandatory spay/neuter rules stack up against other locations.
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