support the pet evacuation bill.

i can't imagine what katrina residents had to go through in leaving their pets behind. will you join me in urging louisiana's government to support the pet evacuation bill? the bill "requires the state and parish governments to develop emergency evacuation plans for pets and service animals." you can read all about the bill here. comments are due by this monday, 1 may.

below is a sample letter written by the best friends animal society network with email addresses. please modify it for extra impact if you have the time.

Jerry Luke LeBlanc, Commissioner of Administration
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
local ph: 225-342-7000; toll free: 800-354-9548
fax: 225-342-5653
email: doacommissioner@la.gov

Governor Kathleen Blanco
Office of the Governor, Attn: Constituent Services
P.O. Box 94004; Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004
ph: 866-366-1121, 225-342-0991 or 225-342-7015; fax: 225-342-7099
email: contact@la.gov

Dear Commr LeBlanc and Governor Blanco,

Citizens of the world look to Senator Fontenot's pending Pet Evacuation Bill
(SB-607) as a model plan for service animals and household pets during a
catastrophe. You have an unprecedented opportunity to help your constituents
and enhance Louisiana's image worldwide.

Emergency arrangements with no animal component are out of touch with
citizens like Scott Sherman, who refused to evacuate without his dogs. Scott
is listed among the hurricane dead. The death toll might have been lower if
a plan to accommodate household pets and service animals had been in place.

I call upon the State of Louisiana to fund the humane evacuation, transport
and temporary sheltering of animals as provided in SB 607. Please consider the economic offsets. It is more cost-effective to shelter/transport animals than finance crisis evacuations for residents who won't leave without them.

Currently there are two bills moving in the U.S. Congress:
(1) HR3858 requires the Director of FEMA, in approving standards for state and local disaster preparedness plans, to ensure that the plans take into account the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals.
(2) S2548 authorizes the Director of FEMA to make financial contributions to states and local authorities for animal emergency preparedness purposes, including the procurement, construction, leasing, or renovating emergency shelter facilities and materials that will accommodate people with pets and service animals.

U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn, top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee was quoted in the Stamford Advocate on April 14, 2006 as saying" Hurricane Katrina taught us that many people will not evacuate if they will have to leave pets behind".

As you are aware, hurricane victims were forced to choose between survival
and their pets. Last September Denise Okojo clung to her seeing-eye service
dog in the shadows of her swamped apartment. When a helicopter team arrived,
Okojo was ordered to leave Molly, a Labrador retriever, behind. The blind
woman said goodbye to her "eyes" and sole companion.

On April 18, John Bozes carried three empty leashes to the Senate Hearing on
SB-607. The leashes represented Angel Girl, Bullet, and Honey, his now deceased extended
family's dogs.

With pets banned from designated shelters outside St. Bernard Parish, Bozes
(who cannot drive due to disability) had found overnight haven at Beauregard
Middle School. The next day Sheriff's Deputies ordered people to vacate
without their pets, assuring them the animals would be rescued. Instead,
Bozes watched CNN's Anderson Cooper later report "Dog Killings at Three St.
Bernard Parish Schools." As TV cameras surveyed the crime scene, Bozes
spotted Angel Girl, Bullet, and Honey lying in their own blood.

"I still have nightmares about what happened," Bozes says. "I still lay
awake at night crying because Angel Girl was all I had."

Unforgivable images are forever etched into our nation's conscience. But
Louisiana can now take the lead in legislation to fully implement protocols
on rescue/shelter of animals during a disaster. This pivotal human/animal
safety issue deserves your utmost attention and financial support.

Thank you,
[your name]

send to:
doacommissioner@la.gov, contact@la.gov

cc:
adleyr@legis.state.la.us, amedeej@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, barhamr@legis.state.la.us,boassow@legis.state.la.us, lasen15@legis.state.la.us, cainj@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, smithcheek@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, dardennej@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, lasen20@legis.state.la.us, ellingtn@legis.state.la.us, fieldsc@legis.state.la.us, fontenoc@legis.state.la.us, gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us, lasen21@legis.state.la.us, heitmeierf@legis.state.la.us, hinesd@legis.state.la.us,hollisk@legis.state.la.us, jacksonl@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, kostelka@legis.state.la.us, lentini@legis.state.la.us, malonem@legis.state.la.us, lasen17@legis.state.la.us, lasen29@legis.state.la.us, lasen23@legis.state.la.us, lasen27@legis.state.la.us, murraye@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, quinnj@legis.state.la.us, romeroc@legis.state.la.us, schedlet@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us, smithmi@legis.state.la.us, theunisg@legis.state.la.us, websen@legis.state.la.us