🦴🐾 Meet Our Skeleton Crew!

They’re enthusiastic. They’re dependable. They never complain.

They’re great!

AND…

Helping animals takes real humans—with beating hearts, helping hands and, yes, opposable thumbs. ❤️🐾

Our Skeleton Crew can pose for pictures. They can remind people to spay and neuter. They can even make us smile.

They just can’t register families, organize pet supplies, staff community events, raise funds—or make a donation.

That’s where YOU come in.

Since 2007, AnimalVillageNM has helped provide more than 11,000 spay/neuter surgeries.

Today, our PAW Spay-Neuter Program helps qualifying families in Lincoln and Otero Counties overcome the financial and rural-access barriers that can stand between their pets and essential preventive veterinary care.

For each qualifying pet, AnimalVillageNM contributes $200 toward the surgery. Families pay a $65 co-pay, and the package includes:

🐾 Spay or neuter surgery
🐾 Rabies vaccination
🐾 Microchip
🐾 Pain medication

❤️ Meet Mr. Jones & Blacky

What does affordable spay/neuter care mean to a real family? Meet Mr. Jones and his dog Blacky—and hear in his own words why this program matters.

❤️ Why Prevention?

Because every litter prevented means fewer puppies and kittens entering a world where there are already more animals than available homes.

And helping a family afford preventive care can help a beloved pet stay exactly where that pet belongs:

HOME. ❤️

🦴 The Need Is Growing—and So Are the Costs.

Families are feeling the squeeze. Businesses are struggling too. Nationwide, business bankruptcy filings increased 16.9% in the 12 months ending June 30, 2026.

That economic pressure reaches pets, too.

When household budgets get tighter, the cost of veterinary care can become one more expense a family simply can’t absorb.

And small nonprofits are facing their own financial squeeze. National research in 2026 found 73% of nonprofits reported increased demand for their services while 66% were concerned about their organization’s financial stability.

AnimalVillageNM feels that pressure right here at home.

Veterinary costs continue to rise. So do the costs of fuel for rural outreach, registration events, supplies and the everyday expenses required to keep a small nonprofit operating.

We are determined to keep affordable spay/neuter assistance within reach.

AnimalVillageNM has committed to contributing $200 toward every qualifying pet’s surgery, while keeping the family’s co-pay at just $65.

And that commitment adds up quickly:

🐾 10 pets = $2,000 from AVNM

🐾 25 pets = $5,000

🐾 50 pets = $10,000

And that’s before the other costs of operating the program.

We don’t want rising costs to mean helping fewer animals.

🐾 That’s Why We Need More Than a Skeleton Crew.

Every gift puts some muscle behind the mission.

$25 — Helps keep our prevention program moving.

$65 — Equals one qualifying family’s entire co-pay.

$100 — Helps us reach more pets and families needing affordable preventive care.

$200 — Provides AnimalVillageNM’s full contribution toward one qualifying pet’s surgery.

And when donated supplies are available, families may also receive PAW-sitive Prevention Packs containing useful items such as blankets, KONG toys, bowls, leashes, e-collars and other pet-care supplies.

❤️ Meet Spirit, Mel & Carly

Those aren’t random animals in our campaign.

Mountain Spirit is AnimalVillageNM’s adopted mascot and ambassador. He knows firsthand what a second chance can mean.

Beside him are Mel and Carly, a bonded pair of senior cats who need to remain together as they look for their next loving home.

They remind us that behind every statistic is an individual animal whose life matters.

Real pets. Real people. Real change.

Our Skeleton Crew is ready.

Spirit is ready, too—although the lack of opposable thumbs continues to be an issue. 😂🐾

Now we need YOU.

DONATE. SHARE. VOLUNTEER.

Help us prevent unwanted litters, keep affordable spay/neuter within reach, and help more pets remain part of the families who love them.

Healthy Pets. ❤️ Stronger Families. ❤️ Thriving Communities.

Because They 🐾 Love Us — Prevention Is Our Promise.

It Takes More Than a Skeleton Crew to Help Animals in Need! 🦴🐾

Helping animals takes real humans—with helping hands, generous hearts and opposable thumbs. 🐾❤️