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Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council

Members of the Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Council:

  • Open, representing Louisiana Dept of Health and Hospitals
  • Open, representing Louisiana Dept of Forestry and Agriculture
  • Jeff Dorson, Humane Society of Louisiana, Chair
  • Evie Burguieres, Southern Animal Foundation
  • Brittney Young, Louisiana Dept of Public Safety and Corrections
  • Dr. Kathleen Elstrott representing the Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine
  • Stewart Cathey, nominated by Senate President
  • Julie Emerson, nominated by Speaker of the House
  • Robert Bremer, representing public animal shelter
  • Holly Willimas, representing a private animal shelter

The Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council was created by the Louisiana Legislature via a bill in 2002 by Melinda Schwegmann. You can view the original bill here.

Until recently, our Council was unable to collect and dessiminate the funding dedicated to the Council. The bill which gave us our funding is here.

Background On Our Creation

The Louisiana Animal Overpopulation Advisory Council was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2002. Our functions are governed by LA R.S. 47:463.60.

Our License Plate Law & Act Establishing The Council

 §463.60.  Special prestige license plates; "Animal Friendly" prestige license plate; animal population control; Pet Overpopulation Fund

A.  The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall establish a special prestige "Animal Friendly" license plate for motor vehicles.  Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 47:463(A)(3), the department shall establish this prestige plate provided there is a minimum of one hundred applicants for such plate.  The license plates shall be restricted to passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans, and recreational vehicles.  This prestige plate shall be issued, upon application, to any citizen of Louisiana in the same manner as any other motor vehicle license plate.

B. The annual fee for this prestige license plate shall be a royalty fee of twenty-five dollars to be distributed as provided in this Section and a handling fee of three dollars and fifty cents to be retained by the department to offset a portion of administrative costs.  These charges shall be in addition to the standard motor vehicle license tax imposed by Article VII, Section 5 of the Constitution of Louisiana.

C. The department shall collect the royalty fee for the prestige license plate and each quarter shall distribute the royalty fee to the Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council.

D.  A Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council is hereby established within the office of the governor to establish guidelines for the expenditure of funds and to review and make recommendations on grant applications submitted in compliance with Subsection F of this Section.  Members of the council shall serve on a voluntary basis and shall not receive any compensation or reimbursement of expenses.  The council shall meet at least twice annually, and it shall consist of the following members:

(1)  One representative of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, appointed by the secretary of the department.

(2)  One representative of the Department of Health and Hospitals appointed by the secretary of such department.

(3)  The state veterinarian or his designee.

(4)  One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker.

(5)  One member of the Senate appointed by the president.

(6)  One representative of the Humane Society of Louisiana appointed by the board of such organization.

(7)  One representative of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association appointed by the board of such organization.

(8)  One representative of the Southern Animal Foundation appointed by the board of such organization.

(9)  One representative of a public animal sheltering agency appointed by the board of the Humane Society of Louisiana.

(10)  One representative of a private animal sheltering agency appointed by the board of the Humane Society of Louisiana.

E.(1)  The Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council shall distribute the monies to qualified entities as provided in this Section.  The Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council may reserve or expend up to five percent of the money received pursuant to this Section for the promotion and marketing of the prestige license plate and for administrative costs relative to the distribution of the monies.

(2)  Any indigent pet owner on public assistance, including but not limited to the Food Stamp Program, the Supplemental Security Income Program, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program, or any other similar public assistance program named by the Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council, shall qualify for low-cost services.

F.  Any veterinarian licensed in this state, veterinary hospital, or organization qualified as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, may apply for grants from the fund, on an application approved by the Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council.  Grants shall be distributed solely for purposes of providing low-cost pet sterilizations by licensed veterinarians.

G.  The Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council shall establish policies and procedures, subject to oversight by the House and Senate Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committees, to implement  the provisions of this Section, including but not limited to the collection of the monies received for the sale of these prestige license plates, the disbursement of grants, the transfer and disposition of such plates, the colors available for the plates, and the design criteria.

H.  Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 284, §2, eff. May 28, 2014.

Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 85, §1, eff. April 18, 2002; Acts 2014, No. 284, §§1, 2, eff. May 28, 2014.

The meeting of the Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council has been scheduled for:

Wednesday, July 12th, from 1: 00 pm to 2: 30 pm at the State Capitol, House Committe Room #2.

For more information, please contact Jeff Dorson, Chair, 901.268.4432 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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