(WXYZ) — A bill that would create a “Michigan Pet Fundraising License Plate” is now heading to the Senate floor, where it awaits a full vote.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia), passed out of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week.
If signed into law, Polehanki says it would establish the state’s first-ever specialty pet plate, with all proceeds benefiting spay and neuter services for low-income pet owners through the nonprofit Michigan Pet Alliance.
“Across Michigan, shelters and rescues are reporting severe overcrowding, with intakes rising and adoptions slowing,” Polehanki said. “We had a committee hearing in which 700 animal lovers submitted written testimony in support of this bill.”
Supporters say the fundraising plate could offer a lifeline for shelters that are over capacity and struggling to provide basic care. Among them is Chantal Rzewnicki, co-founder of The Karens, a volunteer-based animal rescue in Detroit.
Rzewnicki said that in Detroit alone, she comes across hundreds of animals every year who need spay and neuter services, adding, “It’s very rare that we come to a home where the animals are already fixed.”
Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control reported that in May 2025, the city shelter took in 629 dogs, euthanizing 203 of them. Rzewnicki says many of those animals were healthy and adoptable, but simply ran out of time and space.
“It’s a sad place right now,” she said. “There are so many animals losing their lives—not because they’re bad dogs, but because there’s nowhere for them to go.”
Polehanki said she’s hopeful the Senate will vote on the bill as early as next week.
Polehanki added that if you want to see the license plate become a reality, showing your support is as simple as calling your state senator.
“If you can do something like a license plate and know that the money goes directly to saving a dog’s life, or multiple dogs, it’s a no-brainer,” Rzewnicki said.
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