More than half of all pets that enter California animal shelters do not leave alive, but now animal lovers in the Golden State have new allies in the struggle to prevent over 500,000 dogs and cats from being put down every year: animal rights activist Cesar Millan, actor Pierce Brosnan, Governor Jerry Brown and First Dog Sutter Brown.

The four of them made a trip to Los Angeles Wednesday to support the state's Pet Lover's License Plate. They are trying to call attention to new state license plates that donate a portion of the proceeds to spay and neuter programs across California.

Proceeds from the sale of the plates will help provide funding for free and low-cost spay and neuter programs in an effort to cut down on the number of dogs and cats that end up in shelters each year.

For plates that start at $50, drivers who are also animal lovers can help reduce the need to euthanize over half a million dogs and cats every year, statewide. Production will start once pre-orders hit 7,500 and to date, they need 2,500 more plates to reach their goal.

Cesar called the spay and neuter campaign as important as the buckle up campaign—both save lives. As the spokesperson for the National Pet Adoptathon and World Stray Animals, Cesar has been an outspoken advocate for spay and neuter programs around the world. He points out that in Los Angeles alone, the kill rate in shelters is 50 percent. A new city-wide campaign, called No Kill Los Angeles (NKLA), aims to bring that number down to zero.

“I'm here because the first dog Sutter wants everyone to buy the license plates." said Governor Brown. “It will raise money for spaying and neutering animals, so not as many get killed. It's a great idea.”

A portion of the application fees will go to cities and counties to provide free or low-cost spay or neuter surgery, as well as raise awareness of the importance of these surgeries to prevent pet overpopulation. Additionally, 100% of the regular plate renewal fees and $40 from each personalized plate renewal will go into the program, so it’s an easy way to make a donation every year when you renew your vehicle registration.

The target of 7,500 pre-orders must be hit before June 2013 for the plates to go into production. If you live in California and want to help, please reserve your plate today by visiting www.PetLoversPlate.com.

For other ways to support the spay and neuter programs and make a difference in the lives of shelter dogs, donate to the Cesar Millan Foundation.

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