In October, Linda Davis learned of a state contest to design a license plate to promote spaying and neutering pets.

   She immediately put her creative hands to work to draw a smiling dog and cat that was sure to capture the judge's attention.

   It certainly caught their attention, but it wasn't exactly what they wanted.  So represenatives with the state department of agriculture called her back asked her to re-submit with the same cat and dog, yet without the big smiles.  

   "They thought the first one looked too mischievous," Davis said. "They wanted the license plate to have a cuddly, sweet puppy and cat as its content."

   So she re-drew the pets, to be located at the right corner of the license plate, and she immediately won.  She attended a press conference last week in Frankfort with agriculture commissioner Billy Ray Smith and others from his department to announce the design.

   "The design just came to me," Davis said Friday. "When I think of spaying and neutering, I think of a dog or a cat."

   She added the extra touch of drawing paw prints on the license plate design and hand wrote "Spay or neuter your pets."

   All this will be included in the formal license plate design, set to a light blue background.

   "I think it's very important to spay or neuter pets, because there are so many strays that people don't want," Davis said. "If you can take care your own, spend $50 to $60 so there won't be unwanted pets."

   She said she is saddened to see stray animals.

   "God made them, too, and I don't think He would want them to be abused or killed in an unnecessary way," she said.

   This year, nearly 285,000 stray and unwanted pets will enter Kentucky's animal shelters and 85 percent of those will not find homes, according to the department of agriculture.  Spaying female pets and neutering male pets to make them sterile is the best way to have pet population control.

   Davis said the license plate is a specialty plate, and 900 orders must be in to begin printing.  As of last week, there were 465 applicants for the plate.

   A portion of the proceeds from the plate will go to the state's animal control and care fund.  The plate itself will promote awareness of the issue.

   Davis has applications for the license plate at her store, "Country at H'art" on KY 801 across from the MMRC industrial park or applications can be picked up at the county clerk's office.  Orders can also be taken on www.kyagr.com.

   "I don't get money from this, but I will have the satisfaction of seeing people have these plates on their cars," Davis said with a bright smile.