Animal Control
Dear editor, I worked at the Cibola County Sheriff's Office for 18 years. We had no animal control officers, so we contracted with the City of Grants ACOs, who took calls in the county, which they rarely did.
My sheriffs decided to hire our own ACOs, so we took stray animals to the Grants Animal Shelter. Cibola County Ordinance 01-01 had a fine scheduled for people to pick up animals, but the shelter would only take fees for the City. I caught one of my ACOs helping clean the shelter and euthanize animals, which required special training and equipment, which I stopped. One animal was picked up and euthanized the very next day, before the owner had a chance to pick up the animal, which could have gotten us sued. New Mexico State Law 4--37-1 allows Counties, just like cities, to create and enforce local laws or ordinances that don’t conflict with state law. 4-37-4 makes it the duty of every county sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, or other law enforcement officer to enforce all county ordinances, to diligently file a complaint or information alleging a violation if circumstances would indicate that action to a reasonably prudent person, and cooperate with the district attorney or other prosecutor in all reasonable ways.
Any county law enforcement officer who fails to perform his duty in any material respect is subject to removal from office and payment of all costs of prosecution. CITY OF GRANTS ORDINANCE NO. 13-1200: ANIMAL CONTROL, the City police officers and Animal Control Officers shall have the authority to issue citations for violations of this Ordinance and state statutes regarding the care and control of animals, whenever there is probable cause to believe there exists a violation of this Ordinance and/or animal care and control statutes. This ordinance has 13 pages of rules and regulations that instruct the city police officers and ACOs on what they must do when animals are abused or running loose.
Yes, several of my officers used to tell me it was not their job to take animal complaints, that they were not DOG CATCHERS, and they didn't think much about the removal part or paying all the costs mentioned in the law.
So, who's going to pick up animals now and enforce all these nice laws for the County & City?
Signed, Mr. Harry L. Hall USAF Veteran, Retired Police/Sheriff Lt.
38+ Years