APNM Cruelty Response and Advocacy Director Alan Edmonds stands with Taos County Sheriff Steve Miera and members of the Taos County Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies received APNM-supported training to strengthen animal control services countywide. Photo: Heidi Baxter/APNM
For decades, Animal Protection New Mexico has been providing scholarships to hundreds of our state’s Animal Control and Law Enforcement Officers (ACOs and LEOs). This grant-funded effort has provided New Mexico’s ACOs and LEOs with the latest knowledge, protocols, and best practices, enabling them to perform their animal-related duties at the highest level. Notably, in 2025 we have provided scholarships to Taos County Sheriff Steve Miera and every Deputy Sheriff under his command at the Taos County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
Taos County is one of the fastest growing counties in New Mexico, with a population of almost 35,000. Over the years, the county’s economy has moved from predominantly agricultural to mainly tourism, renewable energy, and local businesses as the main economic drivers. This has resulted in a more modern view of animals and their place in the community. TCSO has been responsible for Animal Control duties for years, employing two to three non-deputized officers, but due to lower pay and other factors, turnover has been high, and it has become increasingly difficult for TCSO to respond to the high call volume, especially after hours.
In recent years, Sheriff Miera realized that change was needed, and APNM was eager to help him implement this new vision for Animal Control in Taos County. “I’ve converted our civilian Animal Control positions into Certified Deputy positions and absorbed the Animal Control program entirely into the patrol operations of the Sheriff’s Office. Now as the Sheriff, I have made every Deputy in this Office responsible for ACO calls for service. This has served as a force multiplier and now allows for 24/7 response to ACO calls as opposed to the traditional business hours only. ACO calls now fall into regular call rotation and are treated as all other calls for service that are received into dispatch. Our community, with the help of APNM, will now have 30+ ACO certified Deputies vs. the historic one or two civilian ACOs.”
APNM is excited to play a part in this historic change. Once every TCSO Deputy has been trained, Sheriff Miera plans to review and revise the 10-year-old Taos County Animal Ordinance to bring local animal laws up to date. APNM Cruelty Response and Advocacy Director Alan Edmonds notes, “Sheriff Miera asked us to provide some good ordinances to use as models, so we’ve provided three of the strongest, most detailed county ordinances in New Mexico for that purpose.”
TCSO’s increased enforcement abilities will certainly increase the number of animals requiring sheltering services. Currently, Taos County does not have its own animal shelter, so Sheriff Miera is also working toward contracting with a local nonprofit to provide sheltering.
