The Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley (ASCMV) is the only open-admission municipal animal shelter in the city and county, and is an extremely high-intake shelter compared to similarly sized locations. In 2016, ASCMV received nearly 10,000 animals! The ASCMV is a progressive animal-service center that provides the public with the ability to reclaim lost animals and relinquish strays. The organization offers microchips, city and county pet licenses, and also sponsors local adoption events at a variety of venues. 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). 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. The ASCMV is a public agency separate from the city and county. The Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley (ASCMV) was created under a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Las Cruces and the County of Doña Ana in August 2008. This agreement establishes a mechanism for financing, operating, and maintaining a regional animal shelter and related facilities. The agreement mandates the following in regards to the operations of the ASCMV Bylaws. The Mission of the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley is to provide safe shelter for all lost, mistreated, and abandoned animals of the Mesilla Valley and surrounding communities. The ASCMV utilizes all avenues available to it in placing each animal into a safe, loving, and permanent home whenever possible. We strive to meet the highest standards of humane animal care and husbandry, and to promote responsible pet ownership through public education and outreach.