Article Title: Protecting Our Pets During Disasters
Author: Joann Henry
How can the Pets Evacuation & Transportation Standards Act or
PETS aid in disaster preparations? Since the heartbreaking
disaster that Hurricane Katrina in 2005, quite a few new laws
have been passed that, ensure the protection and safety of our
beloved best friends. For instance, the animal welfare
organization created a better plan of emergency action while
establishing more shelters that make allowances for pets and
their owners if such an event should ever take place again.
The Pets Evacuation & Transportation Standards Act or PETS is a
new federal law as of October 2006. Under the PETS act, FEMA is
now required to take into account the needs of any one with a
service animal or companion pet. Included in the funding of
state as well as local disaster plans of evacuation rescues for
emergency or major disaster is also stated in the PETS act. This
means that FEMA is allowed to aid in rescuing personal pets and
other service animals, before, during and after a disaster
strikes.
Many states are uniting in efforts to assure animal safety
during a disaster, in addition to the federal PETS Act. This
means they have either revised an existing bill that includes
the protection of companion pets and service animals, or passed
their own pet evacuation bill.
For instance, a bill was passed in June of 2006 in the state of
Louisiana that enables the state to help in evacuations and
offer assistance and shelter to any pet caught in a disaster.
These animals will be given a bar code tag for identification,
while their owners have a copy to locate their pets once the
emergency is over.
Several states have established better disaster action plans to
ensure that no pets will be abandoned or left behind such as:
California,
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Louisiana
Maine
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Vermont
The pet policy of the American Red Cross has undergone
modification by joining with the local animal welfare agencies
all over the nation while establishing shelter to accommodate
pets in separate rooms or in a facility in the same location.
The internet has been most useful with many local human
societies and animal control departments as a means of reuniting
pets with their owners, by posting descriptions and pictures.
For more information, you should call your local animal agency.
About The Author: Joann Henry operates "Doggie Health Care"
http://www.DoggieHe
health. Sign up to receive her newsletter, & not only will you
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1 comment:
Gee, the RED X will do for our dogs what it did for our hemophiliacs? Get ready to write 90% off then, or do you remember the HIV contaminated blood debacle that killed those with hemophilia? As for reuniting dogs and owners, my memory is great for the vet who on landing at Katrina's mission took a local dog with no attempt to find the owner. How many court cases have come about where Katrina owners sought to get their pets HSUS and other supposed aid agencies had placed with others in various areas of the nation so the original Katrina impacted owners could not suceed in getting their animals back? And what was the most pressing goal of Katrina vets? Sure not treating animals but instead round the clock spay neuters. The last thing animal owners need are federally facilitated zany AR's on their antianimal under the guize of an emergency--agenda. They ARE the worst emergency animal owners could be faced with.
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