Getting Started | Easy Steps | Sample Letter | Hints & Tips | Marketing


I don't have time to get involved. Is there anything I can do?

Send letters to your State Legislators. We have provided you with a sample letter to give you an idea of what you might say. Do note however, that letters are always more valuable if you write in your own words.

Also subscribe to our AFLP state specific email update.


IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME, CONTINUE READING BELOW...

Become familiar with other Animal Friendly plates, and the various issues involved. Explore PaLC's site for information about other programs, etc. Obtaining a plate that will be "successful" rather than just "ho hum" is more involved than just passing the legislation.

Obtain the facts and prepare your presentation
(Remember to check to see if this has been done already!)

• Contact the agency responsible for administering motor vehicle registrations for your state, and find out what is required to obtain a special plate. A few states have provided the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles with the authority to sanction the production of special plates. In most cases, an act of the State Legislature or General Assembly will be required.



• Find out how many animals are euthanized by your municiple and private shelters: this data can usually be obtained by your state humane society, state animal control organization, or the state veterinarian. (see helpful resources)



• Find out how much it costs the taxpayers in your state to euthanize these animals. (see helpful resources)



• Put together an example bill package with the the text of other states' AFLP laws - click on "more information" next to each state for the details.   (PaLC is in the process of researching all the programs and will design and compile a comprehensive package of information for you to download and print.)



• Put together an "Bill and Issue Fact Sheets" showing the statistics, and explaining the benefits of a spay-neuter program.
  
  Example Bill and Issue Fact Sheet - One (Georgia)
  Example Bill and Issue Fact Sheet - Two (Georgia)
  
  Example Bill and Issue Fact Sheet - One (Utah)
  Example Bill and Issue Fact Sheet - Two (Utah)
  
  Microsoft PowerPoint versions of Utah Fact Sheets:
  
  Bill and Issue Fact Sheet - One (Utah)
  Bill and Issue Fact Sheet - Two (Utah)
  
  

BE FAMILIAR WITH CONCERNS YOUR LEGISLATORS MAY HAVE

In the works - But in the meantime, read through PaLC's AFLP forum message archives and also review the above Bill and Issue Fact Sheet (Two) for Utah to see some of the issues raised and answered.

Note that additional concerns include: accounting for the funds raised, too many license plates issued by the state already, state system of issuing specialty plates may be under review (read the message archives on the Choose Life issue in the DMVAnimalFriendly forum.)

Become Familiar with the lay of the land. Read the arguments your legislator's have made for/against animal welfare or specialty license plate bills. Read the minutes if you can.

• Research what license plate bills have recently been drafted or passed.
• Research what other animal welfare bills have been drafted or passed.
• Check to see if an AFLP bill has been introduced and failed earlier.

HURDLES YOU MAY HAVE TO OVERCOME

Your state may have a moritorium on special revenue sharing license plates. Don't let that deter you. It is an extremely reasonable to point out that unlike local clubs and hobby groups, spay-neuter is an important issue that impacts both animals and society, and therefore deserves a waiver.

WHO IS AGAINST THE PLATES?

There are some individuals with extreme opinions about animal welfare/rights groups who believe that raising funding for spay/neuter surgeries is a slippery slope toward encroachment on their rights as pet owners. To the contrary, the plate program celebrates American free choice. Citizens are free to choose whether or not to support the program and buy the plates, and the program merely provides private donated funding for spay/neuter surgeries that are also requested freely by citizens in need.

There are some organizations that take issue with "any" programs if particular groups with which they disagree on "unrelated" issues are involved - even though the programs are worthy of support.

Some legislatures and some law enforcement believe that there are too many plates and this is a public safety issue, as they cannot identify which state a plate is from. This has not been confirmed scientifically, and PaLC has read different law enforcement opinions that state that in fact specialty plates can "help" identify vehicles as the public is more likely to remember them. The issue of numbers of specialty plates could be resolved by requiring specialty plate groups to maintain a significant number of sales to keep the plates in circulation. In PaLC's opinion, if plate sales are so low that they are losing the state money, then there is little value to the program in any case!

WHAT ABOUT SINGLE (PRIVATELY DESIGNED) PLATES

Only a few states require only one license plate. So only a few states can sell privately designed plates to go on the front of a vehicle. However, the particular value of an official license plate is that the public prefers them to private designs, and each year the plates are renewable (and therefore bring in regular annual funding instead of a one time fee) In addition, the plateas are listed/promoted by the DMV that has much greater public reach. In Maryland where local organizations sell the plates instead of the DMV (and these are also a one time fee plate), sales and funds raised are low.

COLLABORATE

PaLC believes that it is critical that you form a coalition of key stakeholders in your state, including veterinarians, animal control, fanciers and humane organizations to craft strong legislation.

While it may be quicker and easier to craft legislation without forming a coalition, consider the long-term benefits and fundraising potential of working as a state team to promote the program and to use the funds raised for greatest impact.


HOW TO FIND A SPONSOR FOR THE BILL AND WHAT NEXT...

OK, so you have all your facts and data prepared... what are the next steps? (in the works.)

First and foremost, obtain the names of the most animal friendly legislators in your state. These will be the people to approach as potential sponsors of the bill. [This information can be obtained from the Humane Society of the United States' or ASPCA Legislative Affairs staff, or from the Roll Call Votes and Member Voting Records available in public libraries or online.]

Obtain leadership sponsors who will protect the bill. Every
legislative effort needs lawmakers to function as protectors, preferable ones of high rank, such as Chairs of the relevant legislative committees.

Don't forget to check with our summary list of states to see if there are any groups already in the process of lobbying for an Animal Friendly License Plate in your state. If there are, contact them and see how you may best be of help.

In addition subscribe to PaLC's DMVAnimalFriendly forum and introduce yourself and describe what you are doing in your state. Please be sure to keep PaLC up-to-date with your state efforts at aflp@palc.org.

PLATE DESIGN

The primary purpose of the plate is to sell well and raise funds for pet population programs. Therefore designs should appeal to the general public (if you can arrange to test design popularity with the public, we highly recommend it) and not be a trade off in sales potential for the sake of educating the public. In addition carefully consider the slogans used on the plates. A more generic "Pet Friendly" or "Animal Friendly" type slogan is likely to have much broader public appeal than the phrase "Spay/Neuter."

The quality of the artwork matters greatly. Many of the public purchase specialty plates based on design rather than cause! In Kentucky recently, an very unpopular state plate has led to a great increase in specialty plate sales. It is clear that the public cares about their license plate "design"! It is also important that your design colors fit as best as possible with as many car colors as possible. Research in Florida shows that 72% of specialty plates were purchased to "match" the car!

It is important in your start up efforts to have a sample plate design, however, please remember that using the original design (perhaps designed by a volunteer with a limited design/art background) may not be in the best interests of the long-term state program. In addition, the plate design may be difficult to change in the future, if at all.

It is critical that the design you select is the best artwork possible, and that you obtain feedback from non animal related organizations to gauge the plate's "public" sales potential. Some well known cartoonists and artists may be willing to donate artwork to a state plate program - for example New Jersey has a design from Patrick McDonnell!

[See sample plate designs here]

DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS

Ultimately, the success of the various state programs depends on how the funds are distributed and used. Issues to consider include:

Is there a statewide coalition that already has the trust of a great number of groups, veterinarians, animal control, etc. that might serve as an umbrella organization to distribute the funds? Is it an animal welfare coalition, or a broader based coalition?

If no statewide umbrella organization or pet population coalition exists, where will the funds be maintained? Should you create a state wide coalition and set up as a 501c3 organization?

Will the state maintain the funds (at what administrative cost?) and could the funds be raided by the legislature for other purposes (This happened in New Jersey. In PaLC's opinion this is entirely inappropriate because the additional funds "donated" by the public are clearly designated and should be restricted for spay/neuter programs These donations are not intended to be part of the government's "general fund.".)

Will you try to fund areas of the state that have greatest need, or will you fund programs by the jurisdiction in which the plates were purchased (often the areas with greater sales are not the areas of the state with the greatest need)? What if one group runs a very efficient program and can spay/neuter animals for a very low cost, and another group is less efficient. These kinds of issues can create a a great divide between smaller groups and larger groups. Who will be on the grant committee, and how diverse will your comittee be?

Will you fund targeted programs, feral cat programs, educational programs? How will you make choices with limited funds? Will you fund a few programs significantly or will you give out many small grants?

Will you assist smaller groups, with good ideas, develop so that they can be more successful with their grant applications?

Will you have funds available to advertise and promote the plates?

Examples of various state coalitions/programs:

Colorado: Pet Population Program (funded by tax check off)

Louisiana: Spay Louisiana

Maine: Spay Maine Companion Animal Sterilization Program

Massachusetts: Mass Animal Coalition (AFLP just rolled out)

New Hampshire: STOP (funded by $2 charge on dog licenses)

New Jersey Pet Population Program (funded by AFLP)

New York: Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

Utah: No More Homeless Pets (State Big Fix Mobile Van funded by AFLP and other sources)

Virginia: Spay Virginia

Best Friend Animal Society's research (pdf)

• spay/neuter program models
• spay/neuter public funding tools

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Will the extra cost of the plates be tax deductible? Will there be a fund to which the public can contribute. Are there other sources of income that could be added to the fund (such as state income tax check off, license fees, etc.?)

VERY IMPORTANT:

Subscribe to the DMVAnimalFriendly discussion group. Read through the message archives to gain an understanding of other animal and specialty plate program issues. Find and collaborate others in your state working on the program, and work with legislative experts, and others across the nation who have successfully brought the program to their state.

NEXT STEPS

PaLC has started to compile information for you on ways to be successful in your signature collection, marketing proposals and lobbying. (in the works!)


HINTS AND TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS!

A helpful, fascinating and occasionally light hearted collection of hints and tips from the "experts!" (People who have gone through the process already!) Don't leave home without reading this!


BE PREPARED TO PROMOTE THE PLATE

Successful passage of the legislation is just the beginning. The Animal Friendly License Plate program may need a minimum number of "letters of intent" before the plates will be created, or a dollar amount reached before the funds are disbursed. So it is critical that you promote the program once it is signed into law. Again, collaborate with others in your state and across the nation working on marketing their plates by subscribing to the DMVAnimalFriendly discussion group. Also See the PaLC website pages on promoting the AFLP.


HELPFUL RESOURCES

Review our helpful resources section...
You'll find everything here from lobbying 101 to who your representative in congress is.

Sample AFLP Letter to the Legislature
Here's a sample letter that you can either customize, or use as an example of what to write.

IRS Rules: Non Profit Lobbying