ROSWELL, N.M. – The City of Roswell was awarded a $42,500 grant last week to help pay for spays and neuters.

By law, owners are required to spay and neuter their pets in the state of New Mexico. 

“This grant will go a long way in trying to get our pets spayed and neutered here in the community. We realize there’s a cost, and it can be expensive,” said Chad Cole, city manager of Roswell.

They are still developing a plan, but the goal is to have a program that would allow people in Roswell to go to veterinarians around the city to spay and neuter their pets.

“You see on Facebook constantly, where we’re full, the shelter’s full daily, because of all the animals that we have,” said Mike Matthews, deputy city manager of Roswell. 

“We do have an issue with that. The only way we’re ever going to get ahead of that issue is through spaying and neutering,” said Cole.

The city says the grant is just one step closer to easing the trouble at the shelters. 

“This is going to be another avenue for us to be able to adopt animals quicker and get them out of the shelter into a forever home, a loving home where they’re not just in the shelter or running in the streets,” said Matthews.