Mexico City to Become Animal Welfare Capital with 10 New Initiatives
Mexico City, March 3, 2026 – The Head of Government, Clara Brugada Molina, today spearheaded the launch of a massive canine and feline sterilization campaign at Bosque de Tláhuac. During the event, she unveiled 10 comprehensive actions aimed at transforming Mexico City into the national capital of animal welfare. These initiatives include providing 450,000 free health services for sentient beings and working towards the complete eradication of animal abandonment in the streets.
“Our goal is to build a city that champions animal welfare. We have much work ahead, and I want Mexico City to be the city with the highest animal welfare standards in the entire country. This responsibility rests not only with me but also with you, the public,” Brugada Molina stated.
Ambitious Goals for Animal Health Services
Among the 10 measures announced by Brugada Molina, a key focus is on delivering 450,000 free services, with 150,000 allocated to each of three crucial areas. She assured that the necessary equipment and resources would be in place to achieve this ambitious target. In 2025, the city recorded 65,000 sterilizations, and the new goal for 2026 is to surpass 150,000 sterilizations.
Key initiatives include:
- Advancing the Unique Registry of Companion Animals (RUAC).
- Expanding services at the Mexico City Veterinary Hospital.
- Opening a second animal hospital by 2027.
- Constructing 100 free and universal clinics; 14 are nearing completion, and 16 more are planned for this year.
- Building and rehabilitating 200 dog parks across the capital, with 40 already completed between 2025 and 2026.
- Establishing a large shelter with a capacity for 500 rescued animals, aiming to eliminate street abandonment.
- Creating an economic support fund for shelters caring for at-risk and abandoned animals, recognizing their vital role in ensuring animal sustenance.
- Launching a major campaign, in coordination with the boroughs, to raise awareness among pet owners about responsible waste disposal and maintaining public spaces free of dog feces. This will be followed by a telephone hotline for reporting such situations.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Public Health Link
Nadine Gasman Zylbermann, head of the Ministry of Health, reported that in 2025, over 65,000 free sterilizations were performed through the city’s 16 health jurisdictions. “Animal welfare and human health are deeply interconnected. When we talk about sterilization, we talk about prevention. We prevent pet overpopulation, abandonment, and bite injuries,” Gasman Zylbermann emphasized.
She highlighted that these sterilization campaigns are not isolated actions but integral to Mexico City’s program for preventing and controlling zoonotic and emerging diseases, where sterilization is a key strategy for protecting collective health. The current mega-campaign in Tláhuac will conduct over 200 free surgeries for dogs and cats, supported by four mobile units and sterilization modules equipped with operating rooms and trained veterinary medical staff.
Berenice Hernández Calderón, Mayor of Tláhuac, noted that since the start of her administration, 15,924 companion animal sterilizations have been performed in coordination with the Health Jurisdiction. Additionally, campaigns targeting street animals have been carried out with the support of local residents. She also highlighted the rehabilitation of the Animal Welfare Clinic near Bosque de Tláhuac, which features three operating rooms and provides comprehensive community care.
