“During Hurricane Katrina, the sheer panic and chaos from a disaster of unimaginable scale resulted in heartbreak and grief for pet owners. First responders reportedly refused to allow owners to evacuate their pets with them. Other pet owners mistakenly believed that they would be able to return to their homes to rescue their beloved companions a few days later. Ultimately, about 250,000 pets were left behind during the evacuation. It is estimated that up to 150,000 pets died.

“In the aftermath of Katrina, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006 was passed. The PETS Act requires that states and localities include pets in their evacuation and sheltering plans. However, development and implementation of pet evacuation and sheltering plans during disasters remains widely insufficient, if it is even addressed at all,” writes Robin Chadwin.

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