Good morning: the devastating pictures coming out of Los Angeles make it hard to begin with that salutation, because for many Angelenos it is anything but a good morning. As an Angeleno myself who went to school within sight of Altadena, I am heartbroken. It’s one thing watching the aftermath of a disaster in some far away place you have no connection to, it is quite another when you recognize the burnt out remains of some place you’ve been, and then frightening when you hear that neighborhoods where you spent your childhood are under evacuation orders.
My sister is in touch with our neighbors on Cleveland Road where we grew up. Our house was not affected and is not in danger. I have spoken with friends in Glendale; aside from being without power, they are fine. They do tell of impassible roads due to downed trees and other debris from the Santa Ana winds. The “Eaton” Fire, which has destroyed the town of Altadena, is about 10 miles northeast of Glendale.
Ten Angelenos have died as a result of this disaster, and we mourn the loss of each of them. But I am reminded of an often-overlooked casualty in disasters like this: dogs and cats.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that had devastated New Orleans, pictures emerged of dogs stranded on rooftops surrounded by floodwaters and shivering, starving animals standing on balconies or staring blankly out of windows looking for someone. Who knows what goes on in their minds as they survey the devastation, but I have to imagine one thing is clear to them – they are alone. We often talk of how they are companions to us, and what we get out of the relationship. But flip the script. We are their companions; and not only that, they are dependent on us, for food and for their safety.
It is estimated 250,000 pets were left behind during the Katrina evacuation, and of that number, only 100,000 lived (do the math: this means 150,000 died). That is as devastating as the devastation itself, but to make matters worse, stories emerged of society’s unpreparedness for animal welfare in case of a disaster and the callousness of some first responders.
As reported in moderndog magazine (and I have to warn you, this is difficult to read):
Since no planning had been done to take care of pets, people were simply ordered to abandon them. A heart-rending example involved one young boy among the thousands who ended up sheltered at the Superdome. When he tried to board a bus to Houston while carrying a small white dog, a police officer snatched the dog from the boy. This little animal would not have taken away any space needed by a human survivor. As it was carried away, the boy sobbed “Snowball! Snowball!” then, overcome with his distress, he sank to his knees and vomited. One woman, with no other possessions left, offered her rescuer the wedding ring off her finger to save her dog, but to no avail. There were even stories of local authorities in St. Bernard Parish, who, rather than arguing with survivors about saving their dogs, simply shot their pets.
Oh. My. God. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a fanatical devotion to my dog, Gordon. You can write it off to the fact that I live alone in a “facility,” or that I am disabled and don’t get out much, so Gordon is my lifeline. And while those things are true, the Pew Research Center found that roughly half of all pet owners in the United States, across all demographics, saw their pets being as much a part of their family as a human member.
The loss of a beloved pet is difficult in the best of times. Before Gordon, there was Dennis, a little mutt who had been with me for 14 years – since I ended up in a wheelchair. When he died, well I am not ashamed to tell you: I was suicidal.
Dennis had grown very old; he’d lost his hearing, and then his eyesight. In the end, there was evidence of dementia – going outside to poop then forgetting he had to and having an accident once he got back inside. When the end came, I had been dreading, but expecting, it.
Having lived through those darkest of days, I cannot even begin to imagine what a rapid “forced abandonment” of my dog would do to me. One study, published last year, found consequences included psychological trauma and stress, an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a worsening of depressive symptoms, while another study, published 3 years after Katrina, found pet loss resulted in higher levels of PTSD and depression than the loss of one’s home!
What is to be done? In the aftermath of Katrina, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006 was passed. The PETS Act requires that states and local governments include pets in their evacuation, and their sheltering, plans. However, ten years later, a 2016 survey conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) – the National Capabilities for Animal Response in Emergencies (NCARE) – found that development and implementation of pet evacuation and sheltering plans during disasters remains widely uneven across the country and woefully insufficient.
Michigan State University’s Animal Law and History Web Center contains an interactive map of the United States that will allow you to research your state’s preparedness to deal with pets in a public emergency, either by law or by having a plan in place. And just as a friend of mine is the founder of an organization which encourages LGBTQ+ seniors to “plan ahead” for their needs as they age (PALS – Planning Ahead for LGBTQ+ Seniors), I want to encourage you to “plan ahead” for the needs of your dog (or your cat, or your…) in the event of a crisis like the one unfolding presently in Los Angeles.
Where/how to begin?
- Start with RedRover, an organization whose mission “is to bring animals out of crisis and strengthen the bond between people and animals through emergency sheltering, disaster-relief services, financial assistance, and education.” Click here for their online “Pet Disaster Preparedness Guide,” broken down into sections for dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles & amphibians, and general preparedness guidelines. Remember, what is stressful for you is doubly so for Fido or Whiskers; being prepared with a plan is essential in an emergency, and will reduce stress caused by the chaos of the moment.
- I’m a firm believer in microchipping and pet reunification services, that way if you are separated all is not lost (even if your little rascal just slips out the back gate to go exploring on a bright, sunshiny day). Gordon’s microchip is registered with two reunification services: 24Petwatch and Home Again.
- I have every intention of being there for Gordon every day of his life, but given my health, should fate decide differently, I have designated a “pet guardian” who has agreed to take responsibility for him should something happen to me, even were I moved to a facility where I could not have a dog. Your attorney can set this up; mine includes the language in my Last Will & Testament.
Of course, the protection of human life is of the primary and utmost importance in a situation like what is unfolding in Los Angeles. But I think there is ample evidence, beyond my own devotion to Gordon, that protecting our pets lives in times of crisis IS protecting human life, because of how interwoven our lives become with theirs.
Remember, they have no one else. THEY ARE DEPENDING ON YOU.