Doña Ana County, NM Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code § 134-13; § 134-9
- Core rule
- Operating a puppy mill is banned
- ASCMV exemption
- County shelter excluded from the ban
- Minimum sale age
- 8 weeks dogs/cats, 4 weeks small pets
- Street sales
- Barred unless a licensed establishment
- Enforcing agency
- Doña Ana County Animal Control Unit
Summary
Doña Ana County outlaws operating a puppy mill outright, defining the term as a commercial dog-breeding operation run for profit over animal welfare. Sellers also cannot offer unweaned puppies or kittens, or sell any animal on a public street, unless operating as a licensed professional animal establishment.
PUPPY MILL: A commercial dog breeding facility operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of the dogs and puppies at the facility, which substandard conditions include but are not necessarily limited to over-breeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of human socialization, overcrowded cages, and the killing of unwanted animals. ... § 134-13. Puppy mills. No person shall keep or operate a puppy mill. This section shall in no way be interpreted as applying to the ASCMV.
Full Breakdown
§ 134-13 states flatly: 'No person shall keep or operate a puppy mill,' with a single carve-out for the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley. The chapter's definitions section, § 134-2, defines a puppy mill as a commercial dog-breeding facility 'operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare,' listing over-breeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter, lack of socialization, overcrowded cages and killing unwanted animals as the substandard conditions the ban targets; this is a ban on the breeding operation itself rather than a retail-sale restriction tied to breeder source.
D bars any professional animal establishment from selling venomous animals other than aquarium fish. There is no separate pet-shop license-fee schedule in this chapter beyond the general business registration referenced for professional animal establishments.
Violations & Fines
Operating a puppy mill, selling an underage puppy or kitten, or selling animals curbside without professional-establishment status is enforced under the county's general penalty, § 1-20: up to a $300 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day the violation continues treated as a new offense. The Animal Control Unit, not a separate licensing board, brings the citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Doña Ana County ban puppy mills?
Can a pet store in Doña Ana County sell a young puppy?
Can someone sell puppies on the street or at a flea market?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Doña Ana County
Compare Doña Ana County to another location·View the New Mexico animal ordinances overview
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