Amidst the devastation Hurricane Katrina left behind one year ago, a clear message emerged: pets should never again have to be separated from their families when disaster strikes. Thousands of hurricane victims, who lost everything in the affected areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, endured the additional heartbreak of losing their pets since animals were not included in state and federal evacuation plans.
"Hurricane Katrina was a transformative event in the history of the country in so many ways, and that is especially true for the public's awareness of the bond between people and their pets," said HSUS president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. "The public will no longer tolerate disaster planning and rescue and relief operations that do not account for the needs of animals."
"No Pets Allowed" Policies
Before Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana did not have an effective plan in place to address evacuation or rescue of pets in disasters. Red Cross shelters don't allow pets, although 63 percent of American households include at least one pet.
News reports of stranded residents indicated that many people refused to leave because they could not bring their pets. A poll conducted by Zogby International following the disaster found that 49 percent of Americans said they would not evacuate before a disaster if they could not bring their pets.
Hurricane Katrina and Rita Animal Rescue
Rescuers saved more than 10,000 animals in a multi-organization operation that was larger than all previous pet rescue efforts combined.
Before Katrina struck, The HSUS pre-positioned rescue teams in the Gulf region, urged residents to evacuate with their pets, and coordinated plans with local animal care and control agencies. For several days, federal and state officials stymied the animal rescue effort by blocking entry to the disaster zone. Once HSUS teams gained access to the area, they worked with other organizations to set up temporary pet shelters in Gonzales, La. and Hattiesburg, Miss. and began rescuing animals from flooded streets and homes.
Thousands of people streamed into the disaster zone to help, and The HSUS joined forces with other national and local animal welfare groups, including the Louisiana SPCA, to develop and operate what was at the time the world's largest animal shelter. The Lamar Dixon Expo Center facility in Gonzales quickly exceeded capacity, as it was limited to approximately 1,200 animals at a time. Animals were cared for and then transported to shelters nationwide that offered to care for Katrina's four-legged victims.
More than 8,000 animals passed through the Gonzales shelter before it closed in early October. The HSUS established an overflow shelter at the Dixon Correctional Institute near Baton Rouge and supervised and trained inmates to care for the animals.
In Mississippi, the rescue effort got underway sooner since state officials were eager for assistance from The HSUS and other organizations. Nearly 2,400 animals were rescued in Mississippi. A temporary shelter in Hattiesburg, Miss. provided temporary housing for around 1,750 animals.
Paying the Bills
The HSUS raised $34 million from Americans who gave generously to the animal rescue effort. More than $30 million covered the costs associated with the rescue efforts, the outfitting of temporary pet shelters, transporting animals out of the disaster zone, operating a call center that facilitated the reunions of more than 2,500 pets with their owners, rebuilding animal shelters in the region, and increasing The HSUS's disaster response capabilities. "The Humane Society of the United States has vowed to make the humane infrastructure in Louisiana and Mississippi stronger than it was before the storm struck, and we are on our way toward accomplishing that goal," adds Pacelle.
Preparing for Future Disasters
With three months remaining in the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, The HSUS is continuing to emphasize the need for individual and community preparedness. HSUS disaster experts are conducting more than 20 training programs across the country this year to train local animal control agencies and community volunteers to conduct field rescues and establish temporary pet shelters.
In early 2006, The HSUS hired Randy Covey, formerly head of field rescue operations for the Oregon Humane Society, as director of disaster services. Covey has since brought on additional staff who participated in the Katrina rescue effort and have extensive experience in animal disaster rescue, relief and emergency sheltering.
In Washington, D.C. the Department of Homeland Security created a Ready Pets brochure that the agency unveiled at The HSUS's National Conference on Animals in Disaster in June. At the urging of The HSUS, both the House and Senate approved versions of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, requiring that states include pets in disaster planning. The differences in the bills are likely to be reconciled soon, and the legislation will be sent to the President for his signature.
At the state level, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Vermont have passed laws to address the needs of animals in disasters, and bills are pending in California, Illinois and New York.
"Every pet owner should have a disaster plan and take their pets with them when evacuating," said Covey. "If it's not safe for you, it's not safe for your pets."
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