I am writing you to a desperate plea asking you to make mandatory neuter and spay essential for the animals in our beautiful state.
Since Corona virus has begun, it has become illegal for vets to continue to neuter and spay pets because it is not considered an essential or 'emergency' medical procedure. I cannot urge you to understand how important it is to control the overpopulation enough..  This is an EMERGENCY!
I am very familiar with the suffering that goes along with overpopulation of pets in New Mexico.  I am the Vice President of HART, homeless animal rescue team.
I am also a vet tech who has worked on a volunteer basis with rescue organizations for 18 years. I have unfortunately seen unthinkable things in my time.  I consistently hear about young bottle baby kitten or puppies that were dropped at the pound and left in cages to starve and die. This cannot happen anymore! I thought things were going to get better when we finally voted to have mandatory neuter and spay in New Mexico.
On an average year we euthanize 60,000-70,000 dogs and cats every year.   
Just to give you an idea, a single unspayed cat can birth 180 kittens in her lifetime. These numbers are unbelievable and unacceptable!  Keep in mind, this is the number of animals killed while all of the animal rescue agencies and animal welfare divisions are decreasing animal population by neutering and spaying as many animals we can afford.
Please help the animals of New Mexico by making it legal for veterinarians to be able to do neuter and spay procedures during the Covid 19 crisis. The animal overpopulation is also a major crisis that needs to be dealt with or animals will be left to suffer.  
Thank you,
Talia (HART)