Oklahoma seeks change, finds funding with DMV

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is set to manufacture animal-friendly license plates in 2005. A minimum 100 people have needed to apply for the plates.

The Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) encourages the use of the special plates to defray the cost of spay and neuter programs within the state. At presstime, OVMA Executive Director Dr. Charles Helwig had no idea how much money the plates might bring.

"Anything at this point would be a guesstimate," he says. "The publicity that the plates get, how many are sold (determines that). One hundred fifty were applied for at least."

Helwig believes Oklahoma is the nation's first state to offer animal-related license plates as well as an income tax provision allowing residents to donate money to animal-related causes.

Oklahoma statute

In other news, 2005 legislation, if passed, will allow Oklahoma veterinarians to send certified animal abandonment letters to delinquent owners within three days. The law currently asks DVMs to wait 10 days.