California Pet Lover’s License Plates

With the tagline "spay & neuter saves lives," the goal of the California Pet Lover’s license plate is to fund low-cost spay/neuter surgeries across the state, focusing on areas that have high intake and kill rates and where people are the most financially disadvantaged.

Californians need to pre-order the license plates ($50 for standard plates and $98 for specialized plates), and when 7,500 license plates are ordered, they will go into production. Californians have a year to take advantage of helping to get this amazing opportunity off the ground to not just fund spay/neuter, and in turn reduce shelter deaths, but also spread awareness about the importance of fixing your pet.

Saving animals' lives

Pierce Brosnan, the animal-loving actor
and artist, created the license plate design

Animal advocate and California Veterinary Medical Board member Judie Mancuso has been working on behalf of the lifesaving endeavor since 2008. She is motivated to get as much funding as possible directly to the municipal agencies that can facilitate the surgeries.

"Making no-kill happen depends on lowering the overpopulation of pets," says Judie. "The only path that would provide the kind of ongoing resources needed is a spay and neuter funding mechanism on a grand scale. "Once the license plates are in production, then there are 32 million registered car owners that will have the opportunity to not only get exposed to the resources available for spay/neuter, and the message of spay/neuter, but the opportunity to support it as well, by ordering the California Pet Lover’s License Plate, and support the cause."

There are over 5,500 plates now pre-ordered. As the money is collected, it is going into a special fund to be held until the 7,500 pre-orders have been reached. Then the money and applications will be turned over to the DMV and the plates will go into production. 

California Pet Lover’s license plate supporters

The groups behind the California Pet Lover’s license plate include California Veterinary Medical Board, Best Friends Animal Society, Petco, the Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, Pet Food Express, PETA, the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, the Millan Foundation, and Found Animals Foundation. The number and variety of groups are a testament to how important the license plate is to helping save the lives of dogs and cats.

Linda Starr, another California Veterinary Medical Board member and Sacramento SPCA board member, who is also spearheading the license plates, shares, "People need to take responsibility to get their pets spayed and neutered. Too many pets are dying in California’s shelters. Other states have seen the benefits to having spay/neuter license plates, and our state needs it, too."

There is also another fundraising opportunity coming out of the license plates. Pierce Brosnan, the animal-loving actor and artist, created the design titled "Wise Dog and Cool Cat." Even if you don’t live in California, you can order one of his museum-quality giclée prints of the original artwork and support animals in need.

What you can do to support low-cost spay and neuter funding

Support spay/neuter in California by ordering your California Pet Lover’s license plate.