Las Cruces, NM Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Sec. 7-11A-1 targets repeat violators of the leash and confinement rules, not every pet owner in the city. Once an owner or guardian has been cited two or more times in a 364-day period for a Sec. 7-13 restraint violation, the code makes it unlawful to keep an unaltered cat over five months, an unaltered small-breed dog (projected adult weight under 45 pounds) over four months, or an unaltered large-breed dog over nine months. An owner facing that trigger can still keep an intact animal by getting an animal control exemption, which requires a veterinarian's letter showing that sterilization would endanger the animal's health, and by then obtaining an intact-animal permit.

Chapter-wide exemptions also protect animals incapable of breeding or medically unfit for the procedure with a vet's written certification, police service dogs, dogs registered with a recognized national or international breed registry and actively used for showing, training, competition or livestock guardian work, animals visiting the city fewer than 30 days, and animals from a shelter or rescue that already sterilizes before adoption. The city also budgets annually for free and low-cost spay and neuter services for qualifying low-income residents. Every exemption still requires the owner to submit proof to the satisfaction of the animal control unit with each application.