JACKSONVILLE, Vt.- The Humane Society of the United States is urging Governor John Lynch to sign the Disaster Plans for Animals bill, which would require that disaster preparedness plans include animals.
"The widespread flooding crippling New Hampshire demonstrates the need for this legislation," said Joanne Bourbeau, director of The HSUS' New England regional office.
Specifically, the bill requires the director of the division of emergency management to include service animals in emergency evacuation plans.
In addition, a commission would be established to:
- Develop a comprehensive plan for the evacuation and housing of domestic pets in cases of emergency.
- Establish guidelines for evacuation and housing of livestock in cases of emergency.
- Give detailed protocol for coordination of state and non-profit agencies in gathering, organizing, housing, and reclaiming animals in cases of emergency.
"News reports have mentioned residents who wouldn't evacuate because of their animals, who were worried sick because they were forced to leave a pet behind and who weren't allowed to shelter alongside their companions," said Bourbeau. "Planning for pets is not a matter of putting animals before people. It's a matter of ensuring that people who consider their pets to be family members are afforded the same protections we'd offer any family in the face of disaster."
Maine passed a similar law developing a Maine Animal Response Team in 2005 and New Mexico adopted a resolution urging the development of guidelines on evacuating with pets earlier this year. Legislation addressing disaster planning for animals is still pending in California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.
Congress is also considering legislation that would address the needs of pets during disasters at the national level. The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act would require local and state emergency preparedness authorities to include pets and service animals in their evacuation plans. Local and state authorities must submit these plans in order to qualify for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents nationwide, and 60,500 supporters in New Hampshire. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at
www.hsus.org.
