A bipartisan bill has just been introduced in the House of Representatives to help avoid the problems associated with evacuations and recovery of pets that occurred during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This measure comes in the wake of Katrina in which many residents refusal to evacuate afflicted areas because they had no place to take their pets. Moreover, even after the storm hit, and conditions were deteriorating, many would not leave without their pets.
To remedy this situation, Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT), Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Rep. Barney Franks (D-MA) recently sponsored the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS Act), (H.Res. 3858), which will require that state and local disaster preparedness plans required for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding include provisions for household pets and service animals.
Representatives Shays and Lantos who are co-chairs of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus wrote a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff on September 14th, asking whether FEMA had a plan to save “thousands of animals threatened by natural disasters.” “We realize our top priority is to save citizens from the hellish conditions in the flooded areas. However, leaving a pet behind can unnecessarily complicate the rescue process. To be sure, we are greatly concerned about the treatment of animals in this disaster recovery. If indeed there is a plan to protect pets, it appears to have been an abject failure.” This article is brought to you by the APPMA Government Affairs group. To access informational resources to help your business, that include news, guidance and quick references, access the "Products & the Law" section of www.appma.org.
To remedy this situation, Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT), Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Rep. Barney Franks (D-MA) recently sponsored the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS Act), (H.Res. 3858), which will require that state and local disaster preparedness plans required for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding include provisions for household pets and service animals.
Representatives Shays and Lantos who are co-chairs of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus wrote a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff on September 14th, asking whether FEMA had a plan to save “thousands of animals threatened by natural disasters.” “We realize our top priority is to save citizens from the hellish conditions in the flooded areas. However, leaving a pet behind can unnecessarily complicate the rescue process. To be sure, we are greatly concerned about the treatment of animals in this disaster recovery. If indeed there is a plan to protect pets, it appears to have been an abject failure.” This article is brought to you by the APPMA Government Affairs group. To access informational resources to help your business, that include news, guidance and quick references, access the "Products & the Law" section of www.appma.org.
