Landmark ruling preserves “Roxy’s Law” to protect wildlife, companion animals, and public safety
SANTA FE, N.M. — Animal Protection New Mexico (APNM) and its legislative arm Animal Protection Voters (APV) are celebrating a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, issued last month, affirming the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging New Mexico’s Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety Act, also known as “Roxy’s Law.”
Roxy’s Law prohibits the use of traps, snares, and wildlife poisons on New Mexico public lands while preserving limited exceptions for public safety, scientific research, wildlife management, and other narrowly defined circumstances established by law.
The lawsuit, brought by state and national trapping organizations, challenged a narrow provision of the law that allows for religious and ceremonial trapping by members of federally recognized Tribes and Pueblos. On September 8, 2025, a federal District Court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked standing to pursue their claims—because eliminating the tribal religious exemption would not remedy their alleged injury, their claims were not ripe for judicial review, and their asserted psychological injuries were legally inadequate. In a written opinion filed on June 8, 2026, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal.
“This is a tremendous victory for New Mexico’s wildlife, public lands, and the overwhelming majority of New Mexicans who supported the ban on body-crushing and leg-hold traps, snares, and poisons on our public lands,” said Jessica Shelton, Senior Program & Policy Strategist for APNM and APV.
“The Court recognized that the legal theories put forward in this lawsuit were too weak to accomplish what the plaintiffs ultimately wanted—to overturn a law that was justly enacted through the legislative process after years of debate.”