On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Bernalillo Community Museum hosted the Tricks and Treats Fall Adoption Fair. The event featured adoptable dogs and cats from three agencies: Sandoval County Animal Services, Rio Rancho Animal Resource Center and Cross My Paws Animal Rescue.
This marks the first year this event has been held. The museum hopes to make it a regular occurrence, according to Bernalillo County Museum employee Nikoma Henkels.
“Events like this bring people together,” Henkels said. “They connect people who have resources with people who need resources. They connect pet adopters with adoptable pets.”
The museum opened only five years ago, Henkels said, so events not only allow the museum to host and promote causes, but also draw people in.
“We've been looking for ways to get the community engaged, get people here. It's really small. It's kind of hidden,” Henkels said, noting that the museum needed “creative ways of getting people.”
Lani Nash, president and executive director of Cross My Paws — a nonprofit that pulls and houses animals from overcrowded shelters — said that community events and engagement are essential to solving the issue of shelter overcrowding and homeless animals in New Mexico.
“(We’re) not going to fix this problem if the community doesn't step up and help. We really aren't,” Nash said. “This is how you get to know the community, right here. You have events like this and you get to know people.”
New Mexico has the highest euthanasia rate in the nation, euthanizing 23% of shelter animals, according to Axios.
“I've never seen animal abuse and neglect this bad here, and I've never seen the euthanasia rate this high,” Nash said. “It's not cleaning up the mess, but we're at least working hard to do that.”
Luckily, at the Bernalillo Community Museum, animal lovers are coming together to help shelter pets.
“They're a good companion; they're there for whatever need you have,” Henkels said. “And they need you, whether it's protection or food or comfort. It's a good way to connect with somebody that's not a person.”
Nash also emphasized the bond between dogs and their humans.
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“Sometimes that phrase, ‘Who saved who?’ is very true,” Nash said. “Most of the time, you've saved each other.”
Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
