Category Archives: Programs

Thank You 2017 “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Grant Recipients

July 26, 2018License plate, News, ProgramsAmi Bowen

31 organizations made a difference with spay/neuter programs supported by the Massachusetts Animal Coalition’s license plate program

In 2017, the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) awarded 31 organizations over $177,000 to implement a variety of spay/neuter programs in cities and towns from the Berkshires to Cape Cod. With plans to announce the 2018 “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Grant Recipients in September, we wanted to recognize the incredible work the 2017 grantees did to spay and neuter thousands of cats, dogs, and rabbits over the past year.

Thank you to the dedicated animal welfare advocates, employees, and volunteers at…

Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue	All Dog Rescue	Berkshire Humane Society	Boston Homeless Cats Coalition
Charles River Alley Cats	Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts	Dakin Humane Society	Fall River Animal Control
Friends of Beverly Animals	Friends of the Franklin County Regional Dog Shelter	Friends of the Scituate Shelter	Halfway Home Cat Rescue
Here Today Adopted Tomorrow Animal Sanctuary	Humane Coalition for Animals of Greater New Bedford	It’s All About the Animals	Kitty Connection
Lowell TNR Coalition	Marty’s Cat Rescue	Medfield Animal Shelter	Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society
Merrimack Valley Spay Neuter Initiative	MSPCA	Nantucket Safe Harbor for Animals	New England Society for Abandoned Animals
PittieLove Rescue	PoundHounds	Second Chance Animal Shelter	South Shore Humane Society
Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center	Town of Westport Animal Control	[efsiconheading type=”h1″ style=”fi-heart”][/efsiconheading]	[efsiconheading type=”h1″ style=”fi-heart”][/efsiconheading]

…MAC was proud to support your efforts to reduce the number of homeless cats, dogs, and rabbits in Massachusetts!

What Is An “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Grant?

Every June, MAC distributes funds raised through sales of the “I’m Animal Friendly” specialty license plate to non-profit animal shelters, rescue groups, and municipal animal control agencies across the Commonwealth to provide much needed spay and neuter services.

Grants help support spay/neuter surgeries for shelter animals, community and feral cats, and animals owned by Massachusetts residents in financial need.

Past grant recipients include shelters and rescues, as well as coalitions of animal welfare groups and municipal animal control agencies targeting specific communities or geographic areas with very limited access to affordable spay/neuter surgery.

“We are incredibly lucky in Massachusetts to have a resource such as MAC’s ‘I’m Animal Friendly’ license plate grant program that provides funding for spays and neuters,” says Maryann Regan, the executive director of Scituate Animal Shelter, a 2017 grant recipient.

Regan explains that shelters like Scituate and community spay/neuter efforts need support, “not only to help our shelter animals, but also to subsidize the cost of the surgery for people who otherwise might not be financially able to provide it for their pets. In some instances, getting help with the cost of spay/neuter probably also prevents pet owners from having to surrender their beloved pet to shelters.”

Stay Tuned For September 2018 Grant Recipient Announcement!

We’re very excited to share the list of 2018 “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Grant Recipients in September!

Are you a municipal agency or non-profit 501(c)(3) organization? You may be eligible to can apply to receive funds for spay and neuter programs! For more on grant application process, visit massanimalcoalition.org/programs/license-plate/license-plate-grants/

5-Point “I’m Animal Friendly” Checklist for Summer Drivers

July 5, 2018License plate, MassAnimalCoalition, News, ProgramsAmi Bowen

The Massachusetts Animal Coalition’s “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Offers 5 Pet Friendly Summer Travel Tips to Help You Drive Like An Animal (Lover)

With summer vacation season in full-swing, more and more drivers will hit the road in the coming weeks to get to their holiday destinations of choice. Traveling by car is a top choice for many families, especially when pets are coming along on the trip.

To make your summer road trip a good one for all your two- and four-legged passengers, the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC), the non-profit organization behind the “I’m Animal Friendly” special license plate, has developed a five-point pet-friendly travel checklist.

As the roads get crowded, drivers will have a hard time avoiding bumper-to-bumper traffic and unexpected delays on their way to and from popular vacation spots like the Berkshires, Cape Ann, Cape Cod, and the South Shore.

“We’re often so focused on packing our suitcases and getting on the road to beat the traffic, we forget to consider how to keep our pets comfortable, relaxed, quiet, and occupied during what could easily turn into a long car ride during the summer,” explains Anne Lindsay, founder and president of MAC.

5 Pet-Friendly Road Trip Tips

Following MAC’s “I’m Animal Friendly” Five-Point Pet Friendly Checklist will help you drive like an animal (lover) when you hit the road:

Familiarize your pet with the car. Many cats and dogs are not big fans of automotive travel – often because the only time they are in the car is to go to the vet’s office! Put some treats or toys in your cat’s carrier or make your dog comfortable in the backseat in a crate or other restraint and take short drives to get them used to the car ride.
Prepare snacks and activities. If your pet is likely to need something to keep them busy on a long road trip, consider bringing a food puzzle such as a treat ball or a stuffed Kong, or another favorite special treat. Think ahead on the treats though – anything with a fishy smell is traveling with you, too!
Plan for potty breaks. Mapping ahead of time where the animal-friendly rest stops or places a dog can get out to stretch his legs minimizes the time you have to drive around searching for one. Especially if you get stuck in traffic, knowing where you can stop when he/she needs to go makes a big difference!
Pack the H20. Make sure you have a bowl and water bottle easily accessible in the car so you can offer water to your pet as needed along the way.
Arrange your pit stops. Pets don’t sweat and the temperature in a car can quickly rise to dangerous levels – even in cooler temperatures in the shade with the windows open. A Stanford University School of Medicine study showed a car’s interior can heat up by an average of 40 degrees within an hour, even on a mild 60-degree sunny day. Make a plan for how to handle your pit stops so you never leave a pet in a hot car!

Watch The Road For The “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate!

When you’re on the road this summer, keep an eye out for the “I’m Animal Friendly” Massachusetts special license plate! Animal-friendly drivers can support statewide spay and neuter efforts at shelters, rescue groups, and municipal agencies by purchasing the special license plate.

READY TO DRIVE LIKE AN ANIMAL(LOVER)? Visit petplate.org to sign up for a reminder to order the “I’m Animal Friendly” plate when it’s time to renew your registration online with the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Drive Like an Animal(Lover) and Support Spay/Neuter Efforts in Massachusetts

February 1, 2018MassAnimalCoalition, News, ProgramsKara Holmquist

3 ways you can help drive sales of the “I’m Animal Friendly” license plate and aid cats, dogs, and rabbits!

Tap here to purchase the plate now>>

Spay/neuter is one of the most humane ways to decrease the number of animals who need homes. Unfortunately, it can be very expensive, especially for animal shelters, rescue groups, and municipal agencies working with limited budgets.

That’s why the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) launched the “I’m Animal Friendly” license plate program with the Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2003. Sales of the plate support on-going spay and neuter efforts and thousands of cats, dogs, and rabbits receive the surgery every year through funds provided by the license plate program.

But the need for support is growing fast!

In 2017, MAC received over 30 requests for $368,724 in spay/neuter funding – over twice the amount MAC can currently provide through funds raised by the plate program.

How Can I Help?

To meet the needs of animals, we’re running a year-long campaign for animals to drive sales of the “I’m Animal Friendly” plate. The campaign is called “Drive Like an Animal(Lover),” and our goal is to let more Massachusetts drivers know how to help animals by purchasing the plate.

And you can help!

#1 – Check to see if it is time to renew your registration.

Click here to check your vehicle’s renewal status

#2 – Tell friends, family, and businesses about the plate.

Know an animal-friendly business or business owner? Ask if they’d like to support the “Drive like an animal(lover)” campaign for animals as a promotional partner.

Interested businesses can contact Anne Lindsay, president and founder, Massachusetts Animal Coalition, at [email protected] for more information.

And check out our growing list of promotional partners below!

#3 – Share our funny cat and dog “Drive Like an Animal(Lover)” videos with your social networks.

Share them on Facebook, on your website, and through email. Make sure to tag @massanimalcoalition on Facebook and use #petplate.

Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more campaign videos and contests you can share to let more people know about the plate!

Thank You to Our Partners!

We’re grateful for the generosity of many businesses and media in our state for helping us drive sales of the “I’m Animal Friendly” plate and help more animals!

A major thank you to Boston-based advertising, PR, and digital agency Conover Tuttle Pace! The agency created the campaign including radio and TV announcements and funny social media videos, all pro-bono for us.

Very special thanks to all our promotional partners…