§ 6.04.050. Licensing and vaccinations required.

A. Vaccinations. All dogs and cats shall be vaccinated as required by state law. It shall be the responsibility of the owner to comply with the regulations prescribed by the New Mexico Department of Health (7 NMAC 4.2). In the village, dogs and cats over the age of three months must be vaccinated against rabies, and so tagged, by a licensed veterinarian. Upon demand by the animal control officer or municipal police officer, the owner of the dog(s) and/or cat(s) shall present evidence that the animal has been vaccinated.

B.

Licensing. Any person harboring or maintaining any dog over three months of age, within the village, shall obtain a license for each dog. Persons who are visiting or temporarily remaining within the village for less than thirty consecutive days shall be exempt from this licensing requirement. Licenses may be issued only by the village or a local licensed veterinarian. Licenses shall expire one year after the date of issuance of the license. The village animal control officer shall keep a record of all licenses issued. A current rabies vaccination certificate shall be presented at the time of the application for the license.

1.

Affixing Tags. A current license tag number shall be affixed to the licensed dog at all times in a reasonable manner.

2.

Fees. The annual license fee shall be three dollars for each neutered or spayed dog, and five dollars for each unspayed or unneutered dog. In the event a tag is lost, a replacement tag shall be obtained for a charge of one dollar. Each kennel or petshop with ten dogs or more in possession shall pay an annual fee of fifty dollars in lieu of licensing individual dogs, and such fee will cover all dogs kept by such business during the year.

3.

Veterinarians Issuing Licenses. Each veterinarian who issues licenses shall deliver to the village animal control officer by the fifteenth day of the month information regarding all licenses issued during the preceding month. Veterinarians issuing licenses may add a reasonable service charge to the cost of each license issued as reimbursement for the cost of distributing the license.

4.

The owner who intentionally or unintentionally breeds dogs must have a current hobby breeders license or shall pay a litter fee of twenty-five dollars for each litter. The twenty-five dollar fee may be refunded at the time proof of sterilization of the female animal is submitted and verified by the village but no later than two months from the time the female dog or cat delivers a litter. Each hobby breeder shall pay an annual fee of fifty dollars in lieu of fees for individual litters, and such fee will cover all litters during the calendar year. An owner shall not advertise, sell, barter, exchange or give away any dogs within the village boundaries unless the litter fee is displayed legibly. An owner shall furnish the litter fee or hobby breeder permit number to any prospective recipient requesting the number.

(Ord. 264 (part), 1999; Ord. 189 (part), 1992; Ord. 161 § 5, 1989)