Valencia Animal Shelter & Control: Adoption Hours 2026
This guide covers Valencia County Animal Shelter / Animal Services in Los Lunas, New Mexico. It is not a Valencia, California shelter page.
Use it to quickly check public hours, adoption fees, animal-control routes, impound/reclaim costs, licensing, lost/found steps, and what to ask before you drive to the shelter.
Which “Valencia Animal Shelter” Is This?
Searchers may use “Valencia animal shelter” for different places. The official public shelter result with animal-control details is Valencia County Animal Services in New Mexico.
Covered here
Valencia County Animal Shelter / Animal Services, Los Lunas, New Mexico.
Public agency route
The county page lists Animal Services under county government with shelter address, phone, emergency phone and hours.
Not Valencia, CA
If you meant Valencia, California / Santa Clarita area, verify with local Los Angeles County shelter routing instead.
Clickable Valencia Animal Help Cards
Start here. These links and numbers match the official county or municipal route.
Valencia County Animal Shelter Hours and Contact
The official county Animal Services page lists the public service hours below.
| Service | Official detail | Best action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelter / Animal Services | Tuesday through Saturday, 9 AM-5 PM | Call before driving if you need a specific animal, reclaim, or intake answer. | Pet availability and impound status can change fast. |
| Main phone | 505-866-2479 | Use this for shelter and animal-control department questions. | This is the number listed on the official county page. |
| Address | 1209 Highway 314, Los Lunas, NM 87031 | Use the map below for directions. | Confirm exact purpose before driving. |
| Emergency | 911 | Use for immediate emergency only. | The county page lists 911 as emergency phone. |
| County government contact | 444 Luna Avenue / P.O. Box 1119, Los Lunas, NM; 505-866-2001 | Use for general county business, not as first shelter phone. | The animal page footer lists county contact separately. |
How to View Animals in the Facility
Valencia County publishes an “Animals in the Facilities” page with an embedded shelter animal list.
Open the county animal page
Use the official animals-in-facility page and scroll through the embedded PetPlace list.
Save the animal details
Screenshot animal photo, ID/name, species, sex and any note shown in the listing.
Call before driving
Call 505-866-2479 to ask whether the animal is still at the shelter and whether it is adoptable or still in a hold/reclaim status.
Official Valencia County Animal Services Fee Schedule
These values come from the county’s official fee schedule. For an exact total on one animal, call before visiting because adoption, sterilization, boarding, impound and licensing rules can overlap.
| Service | Official fee | What it means for users |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption – cat | $15 plus $135 / cat | Ask whether the $135 portion is a sterilization-related cost/deposit for that animal. |
| Adoption – dog | $15 plus $135 / dog | Ask for the exact adoption checkout total before arriving. |
| Adoption – sterile animal | $15 / sterile animal | If the animal is already sterile, the listed fee may be lower. |
| Boarding | $25 per day | May apply when reclaiming an impounded pet. |
| Impound | $50 first offense; $100 second offense; $150 third offense and every time after | Offense history can change the reclaim cost. |
| License | $10 per year | For annual dog/cat licensing. |
| License – intact | $150 per year | Higher annual fee for intact animals. |
| Litter permit | $25 per litter | Check before advertising or placing litters. |
| Quarantine boarding | $35 per day | May apply in bite/quarantine situations. |
| Commercial kennel | $200 per year | Business/permit category, not normal household adoption. |
| Hobby kennel | $50 per year | Ask Animal Services if this applies to your household. |
| Guard dog site | $25 per year | Permit category listed by county. |
| Rescue | $50 per year | For rescue registration category. |
| Service animals | Exempt | Listed as exempt on the fee schedule. |
Adoption Micro-Steps
The county publishes animals and fees, but detailed adoption paperwork steps are not fully posted online. Use this practical path and verify the final requirement by phone.
View animals online
Start on the official Animals in the Facilities page.
Call with the animal details
Call 505-866-2479 and ask whether the animal is still available, already claimed, on hold, in rescue transfer, or adoptable.
Ask for exact fees
Use the county fee table, but ask the shelter for the exact total for the animal you want because sterilization and license rules may apply.
Bring ID and payment
Bring government-issued ID, payment method, a leash/carrier and any household/rental approval documents.
Ask about sterilization agreement
County ordinance language says dogs/cats adopted under or over six months may require adoption fee, sterilization deposit and a signed sterilization agreement if not already sterilized.
Ask what records you receive
Before leaving, ask about microchip status, vaccines, sterilization timing, license requirement, medical notes and first-week care.
Reclaiming an Impounded Pet
If your pet may be impounded, act quickly. County ordinance language says animals must be redeemed within the required period before becoming county property.
3 working days
Valencia County ordinance says impounded animals shall be redeemed within 3 working days after impoundment.
Impound + boarding
Fee schedule lists impound fees by offense plus boarding at $25 per day.
Bring proof
Bring photo ID, pet photos, vet records, rabies/license proof, microchip details and any citation or notice.
Intact animal rule
Ordinance language says an intact reclaimed animal may require fees, sterilization deposit and agreement to sterilize within 30 days or obtain an intact permit.
Repeat impound warning
For third or later impoundments, county ordinance language says the animal shall be sterilized prior to release at the owner’s expense.
Call first
Call 505-866-2479 before driving so you know the current reclaim total and required documents.
Lost or Found Pet in Valencia County
Use the shelter, animal-control route, microchip, photos and local posts together. Do not wait until the hold window is almost over.
If your pet is lost
- Call Valencia County Animal Services at 505-866-2479.
- Check the county’s animals-in-facility page and visit in person if advised.
- Prepare photos, microchip number, rabies/license proof, vet records and exact last-seen location.
- Update your microchip registry with current phone and alternate contact.
- Post clear photos in local lost/found pet groups and neighborhood pages.
- If the pet was picked up within Village of Los Lunas municipal limits, know that Los Lunas says domestic animals picked up by the Village are held at Valencia County Animal Shelter until reclaimed.
If you found an animal
- If safe, move the animal away from traffic and keep it separate from your pets.
- Take photos before moving the animal far from the found location.
- Call the correct route: county/unincorporated area, Los Lunas municipal limits, or emergency services if people are in danger.
- Ask about microchip scanning and whether the animal should be brought to the shelter.
- Do not assume the animal is abandoned; the owner may be searching.
- For aggressive, injured or dangerous situations, call animal control or emergency services rather than handling the animal.
Animal Control Routes: County vs Los Lunas
Use this table before calling. It prevents delays when the animal is inside a municipality instead of unincorporated county.
| Area / situation | Official route | Phone / hours | Use for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia County unincorporated areas | Valencia County Animal Services / Animal Shelter | 505-866-2479 Tuesday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM | Shelter, animal-control department questions, impounds, adoptions, low-cost spay/neuter information. |
| County after-hours / weekends | Urgent but non-emergency route | 505-865-9130 | After-hours urgent county animal concerns that are not 911 emergencies. |
| Village of Los Lunas municipal limits | Code Enforcement / Animal Control | 505-839-3842 Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM | Animals running at large, barking dogs, nuisance concerns, pet registrations and domestic animal welfare concerns inside Los Lunas municipal limits. |
| Los Lunas after-hours / weekends | Urgent but non-emergency route | 505-865-2039 | After-hours urgent Los Lunas animal concerns that are not 911 emergencies. |
| Immediate emergency | Police, fire or ambulance | 911 | Immediate danger to people, serious emergency or life-safety issue. |
Official Ordinance Details Users Often Miss
These rules can affect adoption, reclaim and owner costs. Always ask the shelter how they apply to your specific animal.
Adoption / sterilization agreement
- Dogs or cats under 6 months may require adoption fee, sterilization deposit and agreement to sterilize when no more than 6 months old.
- Dogs or cats over 6 months may require adoption fee, sterilization deposit and agreement to sterilize within 30 days.
- Sterilization deposit reimbursement depends on presenting a veterinarian receipt showing sterilization.
Licensing / permits
- County fee schedule lists a regular license at $10 per year.
- County fee schedule lists intact license at $150 per year.
- County ordinance language says licenses are issued with proof of current rabies vaccination and proof if the animal has been sterilized.
- Senior citizens may annually register sterilized, microchipped dogs or cats with current rabies vaccination for free under ordinance language.
Owner Surrender / Intake: What Is Publicly Provided
The official pages checked do not publish a detailed owner-surrender appointment workflow like some private shelters do. Use the shelter phone for the current intake answer.
Call first
Call 505-866-2479 and ask whether owner surrender is available, whether there is a waitlist, and what documents are required.
Prepare records
Bring vaccine records, rabies certificate, microchip information, spay/neuter proof, medical notes and behavior history.
No fake promise
Because a full official surrender policy is not publicly posted on the pages checked, this article does not claim walk-in or appointment rules.
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter, Donations and Shelter Support
The official Animal Services page includes low-cost spay/neuter contact, shelter supply donations and transport support information.
Low-cost spay/neuter
The county page says to contact the shelter for further information at 505-866-2479.
Shelter supplies
Official donation list includes bleach, laundry detergent, Dawn dish soap, dog/cat food, cat litter, paper towels, towels, blankets, toys, treats, formula, crates, Lysol wipes and collars.
Transport help
The county page says rescue/shelter partners outside Valencia County take adoptable pets and transport volunteers can help move animals to safe placements.
Before You Leave Home
Animal screenshot, ID/name, photo ID, payment, leash/carrier, exact fee question.
Photos, vet/rabies records, license, microchip details, ID, money for impound/boarding.
Found location, photos, safe transport plan, municipal vs county route.
Call first, records, honest behavior/medical notes, intake question list.
Copy/Paste Call Scripts
Adoption availability
Hi, I saw [animal name/ID] on the Valencia County animals-in-facility page. Is this animal still available, and is it adoptable today or still on hold?Fee total
Hi, for [animal name/ID], what is the exact adoption cost today? Does the $15 plus $135 fee or the $15 sterile-animal fee apply?Lost pet
Hi, my [dog/cat] is missing near [location]. Description: [color/size/collar/microchip]. Has a matching animal been impounded at the shelter?Reclaim
Hi, I believe my pet is impounded. What documents, fees, boarding charges, license proof or sterilization agreement do I need to reclaim today?Found animal
Hi, I found a [dog/cat] near [exact location]. This is [inside Los Lunas / unincorporated county / unsure]. Which animal-control route should I use?Surrender / intake
Hi, I need to ask about owner surrender or intake for my [pet]. Is that available right now, is there a waitlist, and what records should I bring?Map: Valencia County Animal Shelter
Use this map for shelter visits. For animal-control pickup, after-hours or emergency issues, call the correct route first.
Official Valencia Animal Shelter Links
The key answers are already summarized above. Use these official pages for live confirmation, animal listings, fees and legal details.
Valencia Animal Shelter FAQ
Which Valencia Animal Shelter is covered here?
This page covers Valencia County Animal Shelter / Animal Services in Los Lunas, New Mexico.
Where is Valencia County Animal Shelter located?
The shelter is listed at 1209 Highway 314, Los Lunas, NM 87031.
What is the Valencia County Animal Shelter phone number?
The official Animal Services phone number is 505-866-2479.
What are Valencia County Animal Shelter hours?
The county lists Animal Services hours as Tuesday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM.
How do I see animals available at Valencia County Animal Shelter?
Use the county’s official Animals in the Facilities page, which displays animals in shelter care through an embedded listing.
How much is a Valencia County animal adoption?
The official fee schedule lists adoption as $15 plus $135 per cat, $15 plus $135 per dog, and $15 for a sterile animal. Call the shelter for the exact total for a specific animal.
What are Valencia County impound fees?
The fee schedule lists impound fees as $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $150 for the third offense and every time after. Boarding is listed at $25 per day.
How long do I have to reclaim an impounded animal?
Valencia County ordinance language says impounded animals shall be redeemed within 3 working days after impoundment before becoming county property.
Who do I call for Los Lunas animal control?
For Village of Los Lunas municipal limits, the official page lists Code Enforcement / Animal Control at 505-839-3842 during Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM and 505-865-2039 for after-hours/weekend urgent non-emergency concerns.
Does the official site publish owner-surrender steps?
The official pages checked do not publish a detailed owner-surrender workflow. Call Valencia County Animal Services at 505-866-2479 to ask about current intake availability and requirements.
Animal Shelter Action Planner: Lost Pet, Found Pet, Adoption, Reclaim & Surrender Helper
Use this free tool to create a practical next-step plan before visiting or contacting an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or animal control agency. It does not search a live shelter database, but it helps you prepare the right documents, questions, safety steps, and official-source searches.
Build a USA-wide shelter action plan
Select your situation and location. The tool will create a general action plan, search links, call questions, and a copyable checklist.
Lost pet recovery checklist
Check the steps you have completed. This helps you stay organized during the first urgent hours and days.
Found pet safety decision helper
Use this when you find a stray or loose pet and need a safe next step.
Adoption readiness checker
This helps adopters prepare before visiting a shelter or rescue. It is not a guarantee of approval.
Pet reclaim document checklist
If your pet may be at a shelter, prepare proof before visiting. Exact requirements and fees vary by agency.
Owner surrender preparation helper
Surrender rules vary. Many shelters require appointments, proof of residence, behavior/medical information, and may offer alternatives.
Animal control contact decision helper
Choose the situation and get a general USA-wide contact path. Local rules may differ.
Adoption and first-month budget planner
This is a planning guide, not a shelter fee database. Always confirm adoption fees and included services with the shelter.
Your generated shelter plan
Your action plan, search links, call script, checklist, or budget guide will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Select your state, city/county/ZIP, pet type, and goal. The tool will create a practical USA-wide shelter action plan.
Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. It does not send your entries to animal-shelter.org.