PetSmart supports animal friendly license plates

Tennessee’s animal-friendly license plates just got friendlier. PetSmart Charities is partnering with the Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture and the Companion Animal Initiative in Tennessee (C.A.I.T.), a program of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, to expand low-cost spay/neuter services through its animal-friendly specialty plates.  PetSmart Charities will match up to $100,000 of funds generated above total plate sales for the prior fiscal year.For each animal-friendly license plate sold, $15.50 goes to the Animal Population Control Endowment Fund. These funds are used to help non-profit organizations provide low-cost spaying/neutering of dogs and cats to help reduce the homeless pet population in Tennessee.  “The grant from PetSmart Charities is an opportunity to better serve more communities throughout the state, said Dr. Ron Wilson, Tennessee’s state veterinarian. “I encourage people who are interested in responsible pet ownership to buy the animal-friendly license plates. This grant will essentially double the money that goes into the spay/neuter program for each plate sold,” The Animal Friendly license plate is one of the more popular ones among Tennesseans.  In the last two years, $275,000 has been raised for low-cost spay/neuter programs  For more information about the animal-friendly license plate program, visit www.tennessee.gov/agriculture then click “Animal Health,” or to purchase a plate, contact your local county clerk’s office. The specialty plate costs $35 in addition to county fees.