FEMA Discusses Pet Preparedness

October 4, 2005

A recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) press release said family disaster plans that don’t include pets are incomplete.

FEMA said when responding to disasters, human life always takes first priority—pet owners need to be cognizant of these first-responder facts of life and plan accordingly.

The agency said when people have to evacuate their homes, it is always best to take the pets with them, but plan ahead. The time to contact animal shelters for information on caring for pets during emergencies is before disaster strikes. Public emergency shelters often exclude pets for space and health reasons.

Animal Disaster Preparedness tips include:

• Make sure the animal has an I.D. tag, leg band or tattoo to help reunite separated pets and owners.
• Keep a week’s emergency supply of pet food, water and other essential support items.
• Take several pictures of your animals and keep them with your important papers.
• If your regular veterinarian does not have a disaster plan, locate one who does.
• Keep a pet first aid kit and first aid book in your animals’ disaster kit.
• If you use a pet sitter while on vacation, discuss disaster plans and evacuation sites.

In other pet-related news, a new bill would help families in disasters stay united with their animal companions.

Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., and co-sponsors Christopher Shays, R-Conn., Don Young, R-Alaska, James Oberstar, D-Minn., and Barney Frank, D-Mass., introduced legislation on Sept. 22 to ensure that in any future disaster, federal officials will not separate people from their household pets and service animals such as seeing-eye dogs, as they did in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS Act, H.R. 3858) requires local and state emergency preparedness authorities to include in their evacuation plans how they will accommodate household pets or service animals in case of a disaster.

Lantos is the co-founder of the Friends of Animals Caucus; he currently co-chairs the caucus with Shays.

“Katrina taught us the hard lesson that, as we prepare for future emergencies, it’s important we include in our plans ways to protect our pet owners and their pets,” Shays said.

“The sight of evacuees choosing between being rescued or remaining with their pets…was just heartbreaking,” Lantos said.