Grant Applications from Pet Lover’s Specialty License Plate Fund Being Accepted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — California now has a funding mechanism in full swing to help combat euthanasia of unwanted pets. The goal of the California Spay and Neuter License Plate Fund, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has come to fruition. The nonprofit group, founded in 2010 by Judie Mancuso (also founder and president, Social Compassion in Legislation), and cofounded by Dr. Gary Michelson and actor Pierce Brosnan, along with his wife Keely Brosnan, a long time spay and neuter advocate, was formed to create a specialty license plate program that would sponsor statewide free spay and neuter surgeries for pets of low-income families.
Pierce Brosnan not only donated personal funding to get the plate on the road, but also created the plate image and donated the artwork in perpetuity.  Dr. Gary Michelson also provided personal funding and put the weight of his private foundation, Michelson Found Animals, behind it as well. The group pulled out all stops to get the initial 7,500 preorders that it took to get the plate offered through the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Â
The plate has been available for sale through the DMV since 2013 and has collected over 1.1 million dollars to go towards targeted spay and neuter programs. This initial round of grants will see $330,000 dispersed this year. The application deadline is March 1, 2019.
A purchase of a Pet Lover’s License Plate helps stop pet overpopulation in California by providing funds for spay and neuter services to municipalities and non-profit organizations in the state. The revenue received from the sale and renewal of the license plate is awarded annually through grant agreements to eligible organizations.
“We encourage all Californians to buy the Pet Lover’s Plate through the DMV to support these spay and neuter programs. Spay and neuter saves lives,” said Judie Mancuso, founder and president of the California Spay and Neuter License Plate Fund, Inc. “While it has been a long road through bureaucratic obstacles, we are thrilled to see the application process open and eager to see the funds disbursed to worthy organizations helping to alleviate the tragic pet overpopulation problem in our state.”
The group, overcoming years of hurdles, was able to establish the Pet Lover’s License Plate Fund through the legislative process. Members of the group are proud to finally see the funding process underway so that low income families can benefit from free spay and neuter for their pets.
For further information and grant application materials, please visit the California Department of Food and Agriculture or https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/SpayNeuter/.Â
Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) founded by Judie Mancuso, is a 501(c)4 nonprofit political advocacy organization that has been a vanguard voice sponsoring landmark legislation since its founding in 2007. SCIL sponsored multiple bills in support of the Pet Lover’s Plate. SCIL’s vision is to instill greater compassion into society for the protection and welfare of all animals.
