posted May 25, 2006 09:47 PM
Legislation Would Require Pet Evacuation PlanningPOSTED: 7:42 pm EDT May 22, 2006
UPDATED: 5:06 am EDT May 23, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The House has passed legislation that requires pets to be considered in future emergency preparedness plans.
The measure mandates state and local preparedness offices to take into account pet owners, household pets and service animals when drawing up evacuation plans. Offices that fail to do so would not qualify for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The sponsor of the bill is California Democrat Tom Lantos, who was moved by TV footage of a little boy losing his dog during Hurricane Katrina rescue operations.
The bill was passed 349-24.
Similar legislation has also been introduced in the Senate.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. http://www.wral.com/family/9257340/detail.html
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