Portales Community Services director Kelly McClellan announced that the city will expand its services to the local animal community in November, as the shelter reaches 90% adoptions and transfers.
McClellan stated that the large number of stray animals in the city is a major concern. She said that the shelter, in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society is working to reduce the number of stray animals by providing grants and assistance to low-income families.
“The grants that are getting sent to us are new, but we’re hoping it will give us a good foundation to start to really bring down numbers and increase animal welfare and city safety for the next couple of years,” McClellan said.
The following grants have been presented to the council for consideration.
• New Mexico Spay and Neuter Grant Programs for $50,000: $15,000 will go toward a trap and release program to tackle the overpopulation of feral and community cats. The remaining $35,000 is used to provide vouchers to low-income families.
• Cover $10 for rabies, $125 for feline spay/neuter, and $200 for k9 spay/neuter.
• The Rachael Ray Save Them All Grant for $50,000: That will be used to spay/neuter about 200 feral and community cats.
• The Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grant for $60,000: The funds will be used to establish a pet pantry, so low-income families can get pet food.
McClellan stated that the city will be moving the shelter from its temporary location to a more permanent and larger facility.
“We are currently in the quoting phase as we are hoping we’ve found a solution that would allow us to purchase a brand new facility. I don’t have a timeline, but we are pursuing a very specific option as it’ll be the fastest way to get a public facility open again,” McClellan said.
McClellan said the Portales Municipal Animal Control is also looking into helping by hosting its first “Free City Registration Day” at the Memorial Building from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. She said that registering a pet is a great way to ensure the safety of your pet and return it to its owner.
Madison Willis is a writer for The Eastern New Mexico News. To suggest a story or nominate a “Pet of the week,” contact her at:
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