Animal rescue organization staff, volunteers, dogs and cats, settling into new, larger home

Thanks to a generous bequest from the Las Cruces estate of Sheila Pickett, ACTion Programs for Animals (APA) of Las Cruces has made the final payment on its new adoption center at 537 N. Solano Drive.

The facility, on the site of the former Solano Animal Clinic at the corner of North Solano and East Court Avenue, covers more than 3,000 square feet, said APA Executive Director Michel Meunier, and is twice the size of APA’s former location on West Picacho Avenue. APA moved into its new digs in November.

APA is an adoption center for cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, Meunier said.

Among its canine population, small dogs are “easier to find homes for” than large dogs, she said. Sometimes, there are even multiple requests to adopt the same small dog, although Chihuahuas are not as popular as other small-dog breeds, Meunier said.

Large dogs, especially pit bulls and pit bull mixes, are more difficult to adopt out, she said.

APA often boards other local pet rescue organizations’ dogs that are slated for relocation out of the area, Meunier said, and provides that housing for up to two weeks at no cost.

The new adoption center includes small- and large-dog rooms, a cat and a kitten room, outdoor areas for dogs, cats and kittens, a sick ward and a ringworm ward. (Ringworm can take several months to treat, but the animal in treatment will recover, Meunier said.) There is also a bottle-baby ward for the youngest animals that still need to be bottle fed. There is even a separate cat kitchen. And, there is a meet-and-greet room so visitors can get to know a cat, dog, kitten or puppy they might adopt.

APA welcomes volunteers, including dog walkers, Meunier said. It also is grateful to receive donations of money in any amount (you can sponsor a new cat condo for $1,200, for example), as well as new or gently used pet supplies and pet food.

Las Cruces veterinarian Dr. Richard Johnson provides dog and cat health care services at APA at a reduced cost, Meunier said. She said APA also works closely with the Schumacher Veterinary Clinic of Las Cruces for care that can’t be done in house.

APA has a part-time executive director (Meunier), two full-time location managers and five part-time employees supporting each location (adoption center and thrift store – see below).

P.A.W.S.

Prisoners and Animals Working Together Toward Success (PAWS), is a training program that pairs dogs from APA – which has taken most of them from the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley – with inmate handlers at Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility, west of Las Cruces, for two-plus months.

“The dogs learn potty training, crate training, manners and basic obedience commands,” APA said, and are returned to the APA adoption center after graduation to be adopted by a community member.

In October, APA received a $10,000 grant from Albertsons Companies Foundation for the PAWS program.

Second Chance Thrift Store

You can also support APA by shopping at the Second Chance Thrift Store, 2475 N. Main St., suite A. The store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Donations are welcome. For large-donation pickup, call 575-888-4882.

Food bank

APA also operates a food bank, which is open to the public 1 to 3 p.m. the first and third Saturday of each month, except holidays. Anyone receiving food from the APA food bank must be low income or be experiencing a temporary emergency and must adhere to other program rules if using the services long term, Meunier said.

“When the government shut down a few years ago, we helped many people going through that ordeal who were very grateful and later donated back to the program,” she said.

APA’s adoption center is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment. Enter the building on Court Avenue on the north side.

For more information, call 575-571-4654 or 575-644-0505 or email mail@apalascruces.org.

 Visit www.apalascruces.org and www.facebook.com/APALasCruces.

ACTion Programs for Animals offers low-cost vaccination, microchip clinic Oct. 16

ACTion Programs for Animals (APA) will host a low-cost microchip and vaccination clinic 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at the APA adoption center, 537 N. Solano Drive.

It will offer these services for $15 each: microchipping; Bordetella vaccine; DAPP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza and Parvo) vaccine; FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukope) vaccine; and Rabies vaccine (one- and three-year dose).

“We administered more than 60 rabies vaccines, 37 microchips and many other vaccines at our August clinic,” APA Executive Director Michel Meunier said. “We look forward to offering another affordable clinic for the community.”

For more information, call 575-646-0505, email mail@apalascruces.org.

 Visit www.apalascruces.org.