Back in January, as Los Angeles endured horrific devastation due to wildfires, I wrote about a subject I fear is all too often an afterthought, if it is thought of at all: in the event of a disaster, what happens to people’s pets? At the time, I observed:
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.
I pointed out in that post how in the aftermath of Katrina the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006 was passed by congress requiring that states and local governments include pets in their evacuation and their sheltering plans. President Bush signed the act into law on October 6, 2006, but as of my last writing on this subject implementation was sporadic. It has become a passion of mine to learn what I can about the steps my own city has taken to protect the lives and safety of pets in a disaster.
So today I bring you good – no great! – news, particularly if you live in Palm Springs.
On May 8th, the city council added new disaster protocols for pets and service animals for the first time to its updated Emergency Operations Plan which outlines the city’s coordinated response through local, county, state, and mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities to respond to a variety of emergencies, including earthquakes, wildfires, floods, storms, hazardous materials incidents, and pandemics. The plan includes detailed protocols for evacuating and sheltering pets and service animals, aiming to protect entire households during emergencies, acknowledging that our dogs and cats and birds and so on are, in a very real way, members of our families.
In a press release, our mayor, Ron deHarte, said:
Our leadership in Palm Springs is defined by a clear vision: a future where every member of our community is safe and secure. To achieve this, we are taking bold steps in our emergency planning and response, embedding inclusion, preparedness, and compassion into every aspect. This proactive approach ensures that no one is left behind, including our beloved pets.
You can review the plan here:
Not in Palm Springs? I recommend visiting RedRover online, 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.” You can click here for their online “Pet Disaster Preparedness Guide,” broken down into sections for dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles & amphibians, and general preparedness guidelines.
RedRover is actually a good place to visit even if you are in Palm Springs, as it is still our responsibility as pet guardians to prepare for their care and safety in the event of an emergency/disaster; the city is aware of the importance and is our partner in this endeavor, but the onus is still on us.