INDIANAPOLIS — Pet Friendly specialty license plates can be seen on cars all over Indiana, but not everyone knows what the plates stand for. Pet Friendly Services of Indiana helps control the pet population across the state.
The organization provides money to animal rescues and shelters statewide to help spay and neuter animals. One of those rescues is People United 4 Pups in Cloverdale. They take care of dogs with disabilities, which can be even more costly for a rescue, so any financial help they can get from a support organization like Pet Friendly Services is a big help
"We got 10 spay/neuter certificates from Pet Friendly Services of Indiana, and that completely changed the fortune of the whole organization," said founder Scarlett Cmiel.
A rescue could spend around $2,000 or more for 10 spay or neuter surgeries, so those certificates were a big help. The money from the certificates came from the sale of those Pet Friendly license plates.
13 to the Rescue: People United 4 Pets
The license plate has been available in Indiana for 10 years. So far, it's raised more than $4 million to help spay and neuter animals. For every one purchased, $25 goes to the organization. It's so popular, it’s the fourth-selling specialty plate in the state.
"We help over 300 rescues and shelters throughout the state," said Rhi Johns with Pet Friendly Services. "We're a small organization, but we're fundraising for all of Indiana, and we do well over 10,000 spay/neuter surgeries per year."
Johns said Pet Friendly Services stretches every dollar possible and their ultimate goal is to make Indiana a zero-kill state.
Pet Friendly Services also has a partnership with a mobile clinic. Public Vet travels to areas of high need to do low-cost spay and neuter clinics for cats. The clinic will be in Indianapolis Dec. 4.
Pet Friendly Services also raises money through an annual holiday nut sale. To purchase a variety of nuts, visit their website.