Bipartisan PETSAFE Act would fund animal evacuations during disasters
Last Sunday night, part of the dinner conversation revolved around how terrible it was trying to figure out what to do regarding pets and livestock during the LA wildfires.
As a response to one of the many crises inflicted upon Los Angeles during the wildfire storm last year,
bipartisan lawmakers have introduced legislation to ensure families no longer face an impossible choice during evacuations: leave their pets behind or risk staying with them.
The PETSAFE Act of 2026 — which stands for Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies — would expand the use of emergency management funds so local governments can plan for evacuations that move animals to safety, as well as provide veterinary care and rescue equipment during disasters.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) helped introduce the bill earlier this month with several House of Representatives colleagues, including Republican Rep. Brian Mast of Florida and Democrat Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada.
Chu, who represents Pasadena and Altadena in the 28th Congressional District, said when the Eaton Fire tore through her district, many families delayed evacuations because they couldn’t bear to leave their pets behind.
Last Sunday night, part of the dinner conversation revolved around how terrible it was trying to figure out what to do regarding pets and livestock during the LA wildfires. The friends whose home I was dining at had elected to stay put rather than evacuate because of their chickens. On the night of the fires, they encountered a woman with her goat in her SUV, who had nowhere to go. I had five dogs in my home, sheltering them and some family who had no choice but to evacuate. That number could easily have grown. Where all the horses, pet pigs, boa constrictors, and tarantulas will go is anyone’s guess.