The PETS Act: All in a Year's Work

The HSUS led the charge to pass the PETS Act following Hurricane Katrina. (HSUS)

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, The Humane Society of the United States worked with Congress to make sure that America's pets and service animals wouldn't be left behind in the next disaster.

The HSUS was a first-responder in leading the rescue effort of those animals stranded following the devastating storm. Ten thousand animals in Louisiana and Mississippi were rescued, but many others were left behind.

The work of The HSUS and more than 324,000 individuals who took action in the last year resulted in the passage of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, and the signing of the bill into law by President Bush Oct. 6.

"We're tremendously grateful to the House and Senate leaders who reacted to the lessons of Katrina by swiftly introducing the legislation, shepherding it through the committee process, bringing it to the floor, and then sending it to the President to be signed into law," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "While Katrina wreaked so much devastation and disruption, it also highlighted the remarkable bond between this nation and our pets and service animals, and the need for public policy to echo that appreciation of animals."

Here's a look at the more than one year's worth of work required to get the PETS Act passed and signed into law:

• Sept. 20, 2005: The HSUS meets with co-chairs of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, Reps. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., and Christopher Shays, R-Conn., along with their staffs, to discuss legislation to protect pets and service animals in the event of a disaster. Reports from Katrina estimated that 50,000 pets were stranded.

• Sept. 22: Reps. Lantos and Shays introduce the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act (H.R. 3858) to require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure that state and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency.

• April 5, 2006: Following meetings with The HSUS, Sens. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., team up to take the lead on the PETS Act in the Senate and introduce S. 2548.

• April, May, June: HSUS runs ads (PDF link) in publications such as Roll Call, National Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Hill, The Los Angeles Times and Good Housekeeping in support of the PETS Act.

• May 22: The House passes H.R. 3858 in a landslide vote (349-24), and the bill goes over to the Senate for approval.

• Aug. 4: The Senate unanimously passes H.R. 3858 with some additional provisions granting FEMA the authority to assist states and local communities in developing disaster plans providing for the companion animals, authorizing federal funds to states to construct pet-friendly emergency shelter facilities, and allowing FEMA to provide assistance for individuals with pets and service animals, and the animals themselves following a major disaster.

• Sept. 20: The House unanimously approves the Senate-amended and passed legislation, and the bill goes to the president for his signature.

• Oct. 6: President Bush signs the PETS Act into law.