COLUMBUS, Ohio — If you’re a weirdo who loves cats and lives in Cleveland, you may soon be able to announce that to the world with your license plate while supporting an organization that helps cat owners and their feline companions.
A bill to add a “Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland” license plate option had its first hearing in the Ohio Statehouse’s Transportation and Public Safety Committee Tuesday, bringing the legislation one step closer to passing.
Proceeds from the $15 contribution collected from those who register their vehicle with this license plate will go to the “Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland” organization, which will use the contributions “to further their mission of assisting pet parents with emergency veterinary bills for their feline companions, providing food and litter to those in economic need, and controlling feral cat populations through the process of trap-neuter-return to the community,” the bill states.
The group has trapped, neutered and released 82 cats and kittens as of May 2021, and is currently working to do the same for five other cat colonies in Northeast Ohio, according to testimony from Phillip M. Robinson Jr., a state representative for Ohio House District 6 who sponsored the bill amendment.
“Don’t let the group’s quirky name distract you from the good work they do in our state,” he said.
The non-profit started as a Facebook group where cat lovers could share pictures, ideas and find comfort, according to testimony from Mandalyn Stevens, the group’s sales and marketing director. The group grew to over 20,000 members, and the founders registered Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland as a 501(c)(3).
“As a group, we are proud of our work and the contribution to our members, the community, rescues, and the many veterinary offices that we work with,” Stevens stated. “These funds will allow us to continue this work and help even more families.”
Learn more about the group at weirdocatloversofcleveland.org.
Watch live and local news any time:
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
