NEW MEXICO STATUTES
CHAPTER 3. Municipalities
ARTICLE 18. Powers of Municipalities
3-18-3 Animals.
A. A municipality may:
(1) prohibit cruelty to animals;
(2) regulate, restrain and prohibit the running at large of any animal within the boundary of the municipality; and
(3) provide by ordinance for the impounding and disposition of animals found running at large. Prior to the time set for disposing of the animal as provided in the ordinance, the owner may regain possession of the animal by paying the poundmaster all costs incurred in connection with impounding the animal.
B. Dogs shall be further regulated as provided in Sections 47-1-2 through 47- 1-8 New Mexico Statutes Annotated, 1953 Compilation.
C. A municipality may, by ordinance, provide for the animal control services enumerated in this section to be performed by a contractor and may enter into a contract for the services.
CHAPTER 30. Criminal Offenses
ARTICLE 18. Animals
30-18-1 Cruelty to Animals
. Cruelty to animals consists of:
A. torturing, tormenting, depriving of necessary sustenance, cruelly beating, mutilating, cruelly killing or overdriving any animal;
B. unnecessarily failing to provide any animal with proper food or drink; or
C. cruelly driving or working any animal when such animal is unfit for labor.
Whoever commits cruelty to animals is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
30-18-2 Injury to animals.
Injury to animals consists of willfully and maliciously poisoning, killing or injuring any animal or domesticated fowl which is the property of another.
Whoever commits injury to animals is guilty of a misdemeanor.
