Mayor Tim Keller, City of Albuquerque | City of Albuquerque
Beginning Monday, July 15th, the City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department (AWD) is expanding the Eastside shelter's days of service to seven days a week. The operational hours will be from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with pet viewing available from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This extension aims to support AWD’s overpopulated shelter during the summer.
AWD currently has over 900 pets in care and more than 600 in foster homes. The department urges community members to adopt, foster, volunteer, and ensure their pets are spayed or neutered.
In an effort to provide accessible services and promote responsible pet ownership, AWD will continue offering free microchipping and pet tags through the end of July. It is essential for pet owners to keep their pet’s microchip details up-to-date for successful identification. AWD provides year-round free services for updating microchip information.
“This unprecedented expansion of days of service should help reduce the number of pets in our shelters while providing loving homes for our most vulnerable pets,” said Carolyn Ortega, Director of Animal Welfare Department. “There has never been a better time or better selection of incredible pets ready for new homes, and we know the people of Albuquerque will rise to this challenge.”
AWD requests that individuals who find healthy stray pets assist by maintaining custody if possible and searching for the owner as permitted by the HEART Ordinance:
- Stray finders can have the pet scanned for a microchip at either a veterinary clinic or any AWD shelter location without an appointment.
- AWD has 34 pet microchipping scanner locations around the city.
- Stray finders must report found pets by calling 311.
- They can ask neighbors and post flyers where the pet was found.
- Visit websites like Petfinder.com, Pawboost, and 24PetConnect to post information about found pets.
- Posting on social media platforms such as Facebook, NextDoor, Craigslist is encouraged.
For those looking for lost pets, visiting AWD’s website along with Pawboost and other social media outlets is recommended. For feral cat assistance, contact Street Cat Hub at (505) 247-9357.
Should a lost pet end up at either shelter, reclaim fees are waived but all animals must be sterilized before release. If not already sterilized, they will stay at the shelter until surgery on the next available date. Admissions and reclaims are open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The adoption fee is waived for all available pets in care or foster homes while standard adoption practices including background checks remain in place.
To see available pets or sign up as a foster parent, visit AWD's website or email [email protected].
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