Money Meant for Animal Causes Unused
11:40 PM CDT on Monday, July 23, 2007
By Brad Woodard | 11 News | HOUSTON METRO

Not all the money the state has collected for animal friendly groups from fees charged for license plates has been allocated.

For nearly a decade, Texans wanting to do something about the issue of pet over population have had the option of putting their money where their license plate is.

Of the additional $30 fee for animal friendly plates, $22 dollars is supposed to go for low cost spay and neuter services.

Or so everyone thought.

“As it turns out, over the past number of years, a lot of the money people have paid into the (Department of Transportation) for the fund that is earmarked for Animal Friendly Service. But hasn't been allocated out,” said attorney Amy Bures Danna.

By some accounts, the animal friendly fund has taken in $3 million or more since its inception, but it's never appropriated more than $250,000 a year.

The state isn't spending what's left over; it's just sitting there counting as an asset on the books.

After considerable pressure from the Texas Humane legislative network and others, lawmakers this past session voted to appropriate the entire amount in the fund to animal friendly causes over the next two years. Totaling roughly $2 million. Among those who will benefit will be Houston's Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), which will receive nearly $60,000 over the next two years to assist with its no and low cost service.

“Given the extreme problem we have with animal overpopulation, the additional money in there would be a big help and save lives,” said Laura Welch who runs SNAP.