Overview

What is the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley?

The ASCMV was created under a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Las Cruces and the County of Doña Ana in August of 2008. The purpose of this JPA was to establish a mechanism for financing, operating, and maintaining a regional animal shelter and related facilities. The JPA mandates the following in regards to the operations of the ASCMV:

  • The ASCMV is a public agency separate from the City and County.
  • The ASCMV is governed by the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley Board of Directors, which consists of three (3) voting members appointed from the City Council, three (3) voting members appointed from the County Commission, and the City Manager and the County Manager which are the two (2) ex-officio members.
  • The ASCMV’s service area is currently the City of Las Cruces and the unincorporated portions of the County of Doña Ana.
  • The ASCMV is led by a Chief Executive Officer (a.k.a. Executive Director) who is hired by the Board.
  • The authority and direction of the Executive Director is implemented by public employees hired by the Executive Director to operate the ASCMV.
  • The City of Las Cruces is the fiscal agent for ASCMV.