The Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council and the Humane Society of Louisiana have teamed up to help sell more than 125 Animal Friendly license plates by Aug. 31. At last count, there were 136 plates in inventory, and the groups would like to sell them all by the end of August to redesign the current logo and color scheme, which have remained the same since the plate went on sale more than 15 years ago.
The Humane Society helped pass the bill that created the Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council and the Animal Friendly license plate in 2002. Representative Melinda Schweggman sponsored the bill. The bill, now known as Act 85 (https://www.louisianapetoverpopulation.org/images/Jeff2-2-2.pdf), allows the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles to design, manufacture, and sell the Animal Friendly license plates, and the $50 surcharge is forwarded to the Pet Overpopulation Council, which provides funds each November to spay and neuter providers. Typically, the Council distributes $25,000 per year in grants to eligible vet clinics and humane organizations.
This year, the Council also plans to design and sell commemorative pet stamps, thanks to another bill, HB 653, known as Act 440. The Council intends to launch a nationwide contest that will allow interested participants to submit a photo of their pet (cat or dog) for consideration. The winner’s portrait will appear on the inaugural stamp, which will be sold online and in participating stores.
In the meantime, the Council and Humane Society are encouraging pet lovers to purchase an Animal Friendly license plate through the Office of Motor Vehicles, online through its portal or at any title transfer company. For more information, those interested can contact Jeff Dorson at stopcruelty11@gmail.com.
“Our state is facing a terrible pet overpopulation crisis. There are more dogs and cats than households that are able and willing to adopt them. Plus, with the cost of spaying and neutering high, pet owners are avoiding or putting off getting their pets fixed, which only compounds the problem. Although this is a comparatively small way to help reduce the number of unwanted litters, it can only help, and we encourage folks to buy a plate to show they care about this issue,” said Jeff Dorson, Chair, Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council and the Humane Society of Louisiana.
Established in 1988, HSLA is one of the largest animal protection agencies in the state. For more information, please visit its website at www.humanela.org.