How Louisiana’s New Stamp Program Helps Prevent Animal Euthanasia

The statistics about the overpopulation of animals in Louisiana are staggering, but there are things we can do to help alleviate the crisis. Adoption of a shelter animal or stray animal is a wonderful way to help prevent euthanasia in our state.

You can always visit a local shelter to find the perfect new fur-ever family member.

For several years, the Office of Motor Vehicles in Louisiana has offered to purchase an "Animal Friendly" license plate. The money helps the Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council.

How Are State Lawmakers Helping to Prevent Overpopulation?

A piece of legislation passed this year in the Louisiana Legislature will raise more money to help save pets' lives. According to Louisiana Radio Network, the program allows for a new commemorative stamp program.

While these won't be stamps you can use to mail a letter, they will be beautiful, affordable art pieces you can collect. In Lafayette, we have a "no-kill" shelter, and while there are other shelters like this in Acadiana, many other areas of our state do not even have shelters.

One of the other huge problems in Louisiana is that many pet owners choose not to or can't afford to spay or neuter their pets, leading to an overpopulation of animals. Most public shelters and non-profit groups that help animals are overflowing. There is not enough space for all the abandoned or surrendered animals.

How Many Animals Are Euthanized Annually in Louisiana?

While organizations in our area were able to save tens of thousands of pets last year, 98,000 animals were euthanized, according to Paws Northeast of NE Louisiana. Of the 72 animal shelters across the state, 26 are no-kill facilities.

According to the Shelter Animals Count program at shelteranimalscount.org, national euthanasia rates are at a three-year high right now. Spaying and neutering animals is needed to prevent the influx of abandoned pets. The new stamp program will help shelters across Louisiana help people afford these procedures.

There are countless ways that cats and dogs end up on our streets, and when left alone, their populations can explode. That's one reason the spaying and neutering of pets is so important.

How Can Someone Help? Get Ready to Buy Commemorative Stamps

The Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council will now have the authority to design, make, and sell commemorative stamps to raise funds for the spaying and neutering animals at parishes throughout the state.

Thousands of abandoned animals end up in shelters each year. When overcrowding happens across Louisiana right now, the animals can be euthanized.

Jeff Dorsoan, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, says

So this stamp was created as a jump off of the duck stamp program, and we liked what it was doing. It was raising a lot of money from its constituents so we thought let's borrow the idea.

The Louisiana Duck Stamp Program raises money to help protect wetland habits.

When Can I Buy a Commemorative Stamp?

Officials say we can expect to be able to buy a stamp in the next couple of months.

The first stamp to come out will likely cost fifteen dollars, but the Council will then have a variety of stamps at different prices to save money. They plan to make collector edition stamps, first editions, and more.

As soon as the stamps come out, we will update this post.