July 22, 2010 — The Massachusetts Animal Coalition recently announced that it has awarded $160,000 to 29 animal shelters, rescue organizations, and municipal animal control departments across the state from money raised through the “I’m Animal Friendly” license plates.

“We are so pleased to award grants to 29 well-deserving animal organizations throughout the state that are committed to the common goal of reducing the number of homeless animals in the state,” said Kara Holmquist, board member of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC). “The grant money will give these caring individuals and organizations more resources to help accomplish this important goal.”

More than 8,000 “I’m Animal Friendly” license plates have been sold since the program’s inception in 2004.

Proceeds are granted out each year by MAC to nonprofit animal organizations and city and town animal control departments in Massachusetts. The grants are used to prevent the number of homeless animals by funding programs providing spaying and neutering to cats, dogs and rabbits at minimal cost.

Receiving the recent grants were the following organizations:

• A Helping Paw, Buzzards Bay – $4000
• Ahimsa Haven, Inc., Winchendon – $2500
• Animal Rescue Merrimack Valley, Bradford – $5000
• Boston Homeless Cats Group, Boston – $5000
• City of Fall River, Fall River – $7000
• Commonwealth Cats, Peabody – $6500
• Community Cat Connection , Webster – $2500
• Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Grafton – $6000
• Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, Springfield – $14000
• Feline Adoption and Rescue Society, Natick – $2500
• Hilltop Humane Society, Randolph – $5000
• Homeless Cat Project, Springfield – $7500
• Hull Seaside Animal Rescue, Hull – $5000
• Lawrence Animal Control, Lawrence – $5000
• Lowell Humane Society, Lowell – $5000
• Mass PAWS, Winthrop – $5000
• Medfield Animal Shelter, Medfield – $2500
• Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, Salisbury – $5000
• New England Society for Abandoned Animals , Osterville – $4000
• PoundHounds, Bolton – $5000
• Second Chance Animal Shelter, East Brookfield – $8000
• Second Chance Fund For Animal Welfare, Bolton – $7500
• Second Chance Shelter for Cats, Jamaica Plain – $2500
• South Shore Humane Society, Braintree – $2500
• The Coalition for Animals of Greater New Bedford, New Bedford – $20000
• TJ O'Connor, Springfield – $10000
• Town of Orange, Orange – $1550
• Willy's Kitty Angels Rescue, Dudley – $950
• Woburn Feral Cat Coalition, Woburn – $3000

As of July 2010, a total of $824,350 has been granted out and more than 18,500 animals have been spayed or neutered as a result of the license plate program.