Committee hears bill to have counties, cities identify pet accommodations in emergency plans

The Technology, Economic Development and Veterans Committee held a public hearing Jan. 21 on House Bill 1201, which would require counties and cities to identify pet accommodations in their local comprehensive emergency management plans and to publish pet emergency information on jurisdiction websites.

House Bill 1201 matters because research and testimony presented at the hearing said lack of pet accommodations can discourage evacuations and increase risk to people, first responders and animals during extreme weather events or other emergencies.

Martha Whaling, staff to the committee, summarized the bill and the existing planning framework: local organizations for emergency management must submit comprehensive local plans to the state military department’s emergency management division, and the bill would add three elements when a plan is updated — identify at least one emergency shelter, cooling or heating center that can accommodate pets; require identified shelters to adopt safety procedures consistent with published FEMA policies; and require counties and cities to provide pet emergency preparedness information on their websites. Whaling…