EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the new Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley (ASCMV) was held at 2 p.m. Thursday, December 7.
Photos by Miguel Paredes – KTSM
The new $11.3 million ASCMV was constructed through General Obligation bonds approved by Las Cruces voters in 2018. Additional funds were provided for the project from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley.
The project has created a new stray animal and adoption center, with notably improved kennels, and administrative offices for the animal shelter. The facility is approximately 18,000 square feet.
The new facility, which its construction began in May 2021, replaces an original animal shelter that was built in 1982. The original facility quickly outgrew its useful size. More than 10,000 animals pass through the ASCMV each year.
The new ASCMV is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Additionally, a public art sculpture, titled “Sun Shelter,” was officially unveiled at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The sculpture, 9 feet tall with a 7-foot base, is at the corner of Roadrunner Parkway and Bataan Memorial West.
Created by artist Vito DiBari and his team, the art piece serves as a beacon for ASCMV and reflects the services the center provides, while engaging the community.
The artwork is inspired by the center’s logo and services, highlighting a cat and dog, two of the primary animals cared for by the ASCMV.
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