Hats off to the U.S. House of Representatives.  On May 22, the U.S. House passed the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS Act) requiring that state and local preparedness offices take pet owners, household pets, and service animals into account when developing evacuation plans. Offices failing to do so would be ineligible for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The bill (H.R. 3858), which passed 349-24, was co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT).  The overwhelming passage of this bill shows that the enormity of the tragedy caused by Hurricane Katrina on people and their pets cuts across party lines.  Click here to see how your representative voted.

Both congressmen are co-chairs of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus. Rep. Shays stated that an estimated 600,000 animals either died or were left without shelter due to Hurricane Katrina.

"When asked to choose between abandoning their pets or their personal safety, many pet owners chose to risk their lives," he said.  A recent Zogby International poll found that 49 percent of adults say they would refuse to evacuate if they could not take their pets.  

The Senate version of the PETS Act (S. 2548) has been introduced by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).  The bill would also grant FEMA authority to assist in developing these plans, authorize financial assistance to states to create emergency shelters for people and their animals, require essential assistance for individuals with household pets and service animals, and the animals themselves, after a major disaster. Take action: contact your senators

For heartwarming reunion stories from Hurricane Katrina and other updates, visit one of our favorite organizations, Best Friends, by clicking here.