Remembering Katrina

I just returned from spending a week in one of my favorite cities, New Orleans. You can't help but love the people, the culture, the music, the architecture and cuisine. It was five years ago that I watched as Hurricane Katrina's devastation swept through New Orleans. Tears fell from my eyes as the television showed images of dogs stranded on rooftops, swimming through flood water after the rescue boat that carried their human family, and starving from being trapped inside or on balconies. 


What about the dogs and cats in a natural disaster? To the horror of any animal lover, FEMA's response was "they are not our concern..." As there was no disaster planning done to take care of pets, people were instructed to abandon them.  Many authorities found no regard for an animal's life as they insisted animals be abandoned, left behind.  While other authorities found compassion and looked the other way while pets were smuggled onto rescue boats, vans and helicopters where pets were not allowed.  


The human animal bond is greater than any the results of the recent FEMA disaster study. Many Gulf coast residents risked their own personal safety to stay with or rescue their pets, as Jonathan Harvey pictured above returned to save his own dog. Dozens of animal rescue organizations and individual volunteers converged on New Orleans to help with animal rescue and recovery. Though there are far too many stories of pets being left behind, there are stories of families being reunited with their beloved pets and those pets who found new homes through pet adoptions organizations around the U.S. 

What is the fate of our pets when disaster strikes in the future? The PETS Act (Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act) was signed October 2006. The PETS Act mandates local and state emergency management plans to include preparation for evacuating family pets and service animals along with their owners.  It also allows FEMA to provide funding to create pet-friendly shelters and assist with the development of localized emergency mange plans.  For more information on the PETS Act, please visit http://www.avma.org/disaster/petsact_faq.asp.


I encourage everyone to know their local and state emergency plans and learn how to protect your family pet should a natural disaster strike.  Your local Human Society or the Human Society of the United States are available to assist.  Don't let pets be left behind.