California Pet-Lover's License Plate Campaign

This photo courtesy of Judie Mancuso shows the proposed California pet license plate on a car in Newport Beach, Calif. In a state where people wear their hearts on their bumpers, a specialty license plate campaign by pet lovers to save animal lives needs saving. With three months to go, they are struggling to get the support they need. / ASSOCIATED PRESS

As a way to curb dog and cat overpopulation, the California Pet Lover’s License Plate campaign was launched last year.  This campaign is a volunteer effort and has no money for advertising.   The  following video features the launch of the program  hosted by Ellen Lavinthal, an animal enthusiast who now runs the animal activist organization called Animal Alliance in Los Angeles.  It depicts Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, actor/artist/animal activist Pierce Brosnan, and Councilman Richard Alarcon unveiling the new California spay/neuter license plate at the West Los Angeles animal shelter.  Pierce Brosnan created and donated the artwork for the plate, modeling his own rescues Shilo and Angel Baby.  Brosnan says the $50 he spent to adopt Shilo was the best money he ever spent.  Angel Baby is an abyssinian cat he gifted his wife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HuLmjLp22rk

Proceeds from the sales will go toward spay and neuter programs across California, said campaign president and veterinary board member Judie Mancuso.  Many people do not spay/neuter their animals because they cannot afford it.  With this program, to spay/neuter a pet  in California will potentially be free or cost a very minimal amount.  In 2010, nearly 868,000 dogs and cats entered animal shelters in California;  more than half were euthanized.  Spay and neuter is the best way to stop overpopulation. 

The campaign’s sponsor, the Department of Consumer Affairs Veterinary Medical Board, set up the California Spay & Neuter License Plate Fund, Inc. to sell 7,500 plates before June 2012. As of this writing, the group sold 4,530 plates--still 2,970 preorders needed--to make the plates and activate the program.  Assemblyman Jose Solorio, D-Santa Ana, said California spends more than $290 million a year to house and euthanize one million homeless dogs and cats. He continues, “The sooner those pre-orders are collected and the Department of Motor Vehicles can get those plates on the road, the sooner city and county shelters will reap the benefits”  (http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20488322/governor-signs-bill-extending-pet-license-sales).  

Governor Brown came to the rescue April 26^th, signing a measure giving the California Spay & Neuter License Plate Fund an extra year for the sales. There are 32 million registered vehicles in California and more than 37.7 million people.  With six out of 10 Californians having pets, there could be at least 23 million pet owners in the state.

Cost for standard plates is $50; cost for a personalized message is $98.  This website has all the details California residents need to understand the spay/neuter program and place their orders for the special plates: (http://www.caspayplate.com/main.php). This program is unprecedented in California and has been hailed as a brilliant initiative that will benefit animal shelters and help curtail the number of homeless and unwanted dogs and cats throughout the state.  California will begin production of the new plate after 7,500 pre-orders have been submitted.  One of the biggest problems, Mancuso said, is that people don't see anything for their money for up to three years.  It takes up to 10 months after all the conditions are met to get the prison-made plates into production, Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Jessica Gonzales said.  Knowing this, it is still worth the wait for me.   Spread this message to all your animal lover friends!