(FRANKFORT, Ky.) — Kentucky drivers will soon see a fresh face on the road as the state’s Spay or Neuter special license plate debuts a new design, more than two decades after its original introduction.
Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell announced the redesign Tuesday, emphasizing the plate’s dual purpose of promoting responsible pet ownership and addressing Kentucky’s persistent stray animal problem.
“This new eye-catching plate design reminds us that we, as a society, need to do more to control the pet population,” Shell said, noting that Kentucky currently has 411 animal shelters and animal welfare organizations.
The redesign features playful peek-a-boo images of a kitten and dog on a green background, created by Lexington graphic artist Hayli Strickland. A red heart-shaped pawprint overlaps the message “Spay or neuter your pets” at the bottom of the plate.
Strickland, who teaches graphic design and photography at the University of Kentucky, said she wanted to create something that would bring joy to drivers stuck in traffic.
“I loved the idea of ‘breaking the third wall’ by having the cat and dog interact with the driver behind them, peeking from the top and bottom of the plate in a fun, lighthearted way,” said Strickland, who owns a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Since its inception, the specialty plate program has generated more than $600,000 in grants, funding spay and neuter services for over 17,200 cats and dogs across Kentucky.
Revenue from plate sales flows into the Animal Control and Care Fund, administered by the Animal Control Advisory Board. The board, established by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1998, evaluates grant applications from counties and municipalities and advises the agriculture commissioner on animal control issues.
The new plate, which can be personalized, is now available for purchase at county clerk offices statewide and through https://secure.kentucky.gov/kytc/plates/web/LicensePlate/Index/53949dfc-2b49-43f7-bd6e-39c9b94b2271#9f80e816-d73a-48be-9edf-6d7f64a84901.
