State guide
New Mexico
New Mexico uses both municipal and county animal control: the state animal-control rule says every municipality and each county must designate an animal control officer. For wildlife, the New Mexico Department of Wildlife says conservation officers capture nuisance animals, and its wildlife-rehabilitation pages direct the public to specialized rehab resources.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who handles animal control locally
- Animal control is usually handled by municipalities or counties in New Mexico, because state rule 7.4.2 requires every municipality and each county to designate an animal control officer.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- New Mexico Department of Wildlife
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- New Mexico state guidance says anyone aware of an animal bite, including physicians, health offices, veterinarians, and the public, must report it immediately to the local animal control office with a complete description of the animal and circumstances.
- State rabies contact
- Erin Phipps, state public health veterinarian, New Mexico Department of Health
Official resources in New Mexico
State rabies page with hotline, case data, and the rule governing animal control and rabies prevention.
State animal-control rule requiring every municipality and county to designate an animal control officer.
Official wildlife-help page for injured wildlife in New Mexico.
Explains that conservation officers capture nuisance animals and investigate wildlife damage issues.
Official veterinary rabies and zoonotic-disease resource page with hotline and submission materials.
Key facts for New Mexico
- New Mexico rule 7.4.2 says every municipality and each county shall designate a part-time or full-time animal control officer.
- The same rule says the animal control officer prevents and controls the spread of rabies within the municipality or county.
- NMDOH says state law requires anyone aware of animal bites, including the public, to report them immediately to the local animal control office.
- NMDOH’s rabies page lists the Reporting & Surveillance Hotline as 1-833-796-8773.
- NMDOW says conservation officers capture nuisance animals and investigate wildlife damage to crops and property.
- NMDOH identified Erin Phipps as the state public health veterinarian in 2026 news releases.
Local animal control offices in New Mexico
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Welfare Information Bernalillo | Albuquerque | Dial 311 (505-768-2000) | City animal welfare contact for general assistance; urgent situations are routed to 911 or non-emergency dispatch. |
| Santa Fe Animal Services Santa Fe | Santa Fe | 505-955-2708 | Handles vicious or stray animals, nuisance complaints, injured or ill animals, and cruelty or neglect reports. |
| Animal Control Doña Ana | Las Cruces | (575) 541-2000 | City animal control page explains return-to-owner efforts and impoundment to the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley. |
| Code Enforcement/Animal Control Valencia | Los Lunas | 505-839-3842 | Handles domestic-animal welfare concerns, animals running at large, barking dogs, nuisances, and some wildlife-related concerns inside village limits. |
| Valencia County Animal Services/Animal Shelter Valencia | Los Lunas | 505-866-2479 | Listed by Los Lunas for unincorporated Valencia County animal services and sheltering. |
| Animal Control Sandoval | Rio Rancho | 505-891-5075 | City pages direct residents to Animal Control for questions and for reporting violations during business hours. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If a dog, cat, or ferret bites someone, report it immediately to local animal control and keep the animal available for follow-up if possible.
- If you find injured wildlife, contact a rehab resource first rather than taking the animal home.
- For exposure questions or rabies reporting support, call the NMDOH Reporting & Surveillance Hotline at 1-833-796-8773.
Not seeing your office or county?
Not every office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from New Mexico's population center, for comparison only):
- Coconino County Animal Services, Arizona · about 299 miles
- Pinal County Animal Care and Control, Arizona · about 307 miles
- Pima Animal Care Center (PACC), Arizona · about 309 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.NMDOH Rabies
Website →Phone: (833) 796-8773 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the New Mexico page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.