Corrales, New Mexico

Section 6-7. – Impoundment.

(d) If a stray is not sterilized, the animal will be spayed or neutered before being made available for adoption. If a stray, unsterilized animal is claimed by the owner, the owner shall either pay a deposit that is refunded upon proof of sterilization within 30 days of release, pay for an intact animal permit, or reimburse the Village for the cost of sterilization.

Section 6-8. – Adoption of impounded animals.

Any impounded animal not claimed by the owner or the owner’s representative within the minimum confinement period designated in this chapter may be adopted by another person upon payment of the required fees, and signing a contract to spay or neuter the animal when the animal reaches six months of age. Any animal over six months of age at the time of adoption will be sterilized and microchipped prior to release to the animal’s new owner.

Section 6-11. – Permits required.

(a) Intact companion animal permit or ICAP. Owners of dogs and cats over the age of six months that have not been sterilized shall obtain an Intact Companion Animal Permit for those Animals.

(1) All intact companion animals must be permanently identified by a microchip or other identification method acceptable to the Mayor and registered with the Corrales Animal Services before an ICAP can be issued.

(2) No person shall have more than four intact companion animals in any household.

(3) The household shall be secure against ingress by companion animals of the same species or egress of the companion animal for which the ICAP is issued. The household shall meet the standards of a secure facility or a secure fence.

(4) If an intact companion animal that has been issued an ICAP is impounded twice by Corrales Animal Services, the ICAP will be automatically revoked and the intact companion animal will be required to be sterilized. If an intact companion animal is impounded twice and must therefore be sterilized, the permit holder shall pay Corrales Animal Services to sterilize the companion animal.

(5) If an ICAP holder wants to breed an intact companion animal or if a female intact companion animal has been impregnated, the ICAP holder must obtain a litter permit prior to the birth of the litter.

(b) Companion animal litter permit.

(1) Owners of female intact companion animals must obtain a litter permit prior to the birth of a litter or within one week after the birth of the litter.

(2) All female intact companion animals must have an ICAP and be microchipped or otherwise permanently identified before a litter permit will be issued.

(3) No person shall apply for or obtain more than four litter permits per household in any consecutive 12-month period.

(4) No person shall apply for or obtain more than one litter permit per female companion animal per household in any consecutive 12-month period.

(5) Litter permits expire six months from the date of issue.

(6) During the time the litter permit is in effect and while the litter is with the mother, but for no longer than six months from the time of birth of the litter, the litter permit holder may exceed the animal possession limits in this article.

(7) Corrales Animal Services may waive the litter permit fee for rescue groups and fosters.

(8) The following care and disposition requirements regarding litter companion animals are in effect regardless of whether the owner of the litter possesses a litter permit:

a. Puppies and kittens shall have at least the first in any series of required vaccinations and be de-wormed by a de-worming treatment consistent with the size and age of the animal before being transferred to a new owner or otherwise separated from the mother.

b. Puppies and kittens shall be microchipped or otherwise Permanently Identified prior to being separated from the mother. Proof of permanent identification must be provided to Corrales Animal Services.

c. The litter permit holder shall upon transfer or conveyance of the kitten or puppy, deliver a complete vaccination record to the new owner.

d. The litter permit holder shall document and retain for inspection the name and address of each recipient of any litter companion animal once owned by the litter permit holder.

e. The litter permit holder is liable for the medical costs, including medicine, for any puppy or kitten that is diagnosed as sick by a veterinarian within one week from the date of sale. The litter permit holder shall reimburse the new owner the costs associated with the sick animal, up to the amount of money the puppy or kitten was purchased for. The new owner shall be allowed to keep the puppy or kitten even if the litter permit holder pays the medical costs. The new owner or the litter permit holder may appeal to the administrative hearing officer if there is a dispute as to the fact of the illness or the amount of the charges. If the litter permit holder does not prevail on appeal, the litter permit holder shall reimburse the costs of the appeal to the new owner.

f. A litter permit is required to advertise any companion animal under the age of six months old for sale, gift or other transfer or conveyance, in any local periodical or newspaper of general circulation. The litter permit number must be included in any advertisement.

g. Failure to advertise without including a valid litter permit number shall be a violation of this article. Any person who advertises a companion animal and purports in the advertisement to reside outside the Village limits or lists a telephone number outside the Village limits and is subsequently found to maintain companion animals inside the Village limits or is found attempting to sell companion animals in the Village limits is in violation of this article. Each day of possession of each said animal will constitute a separate offense.

h. Puppies and kittens can only be sold, given as a gift or other transfer or conveyance from the location listed on the litter permit. Puppies or kittens being sold on public property or commercial property even with the owner’s permission are in violation of this article and the puppies and kittens may be seized.

i. Puppies and kittens shall not be sold to a pet store, animal broker or other animal dealer.

j. Puppies and kittens shall not be released from the permitted premises prior to eight weeks of age.

(9) Medical waiver certificate.

a. If sterilization of a companion animal would endanger the health of the companion animal due to age or illness, a veterinarian may complete a medical waiver certificate stating the reasons why the companion animal should not be sterilized.

b. The medical waiver certificate must include a description of the companion animal, including the permanent identification information.

c. Upon receipt of a medical waiver certificate, the Mayor may request a second opinion from a different veterinarian.

d. The Mayor may direct the Corrales Animal Services veterinarian to examine any animal listed in a medical waiver certificate if there appears to be an abundance of medical waiver certificates from one particular veterinarian or veterinary clinic.

e. If there is a difference of opinion between the two veterinarians as to whether the companion animal may be safely sterilized, a written notice will be provided to the owner indicating that a medical waiver certificate has been rejected. The owner will then be required to sterilize the animal or pay for an intact companion animal permit. The decision to deny a medical waiver certificate due to a difference in professional opinions by two veterinarians may be subject to appeal by the owner.

f. Upon the acceptance of a medical waiver certificate by Corrales Animal Services, the owner shall be issued an intact companion animal permit free of charge.

g. Medical Waiver Certificates shall be valid for one year. Upon expiration of the Medical Waiver Certificate, the Owner shall be required to reapply for the Intact Companion Animal Permit.

Section 6-17. – Animal limits and restrictions.

(a) Intact companion animals. No person shall own or possess an intact dog or cat over the age of six months old without a valid intact companion animal permit except as provided herein.

(b) Breeding companion animals. No person shall own or possess a pregnant female companion animal without obtaining a litter permit.