News: Pet-rescue policy needed - Current rules forced owners to leave animals behind during disasters like hurricane Katrina

Pet-rescue policy needed, Humane Society head says - Current rules forced owners to leave animals behind - link: "Thousands of pets, and perhaps some of their owners, would be alive today if the federal government had a plan in place for rescuing animals after disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the head of the nation's largest animal welfare organization said Thursday.
In the wake of criticism about the government's lack of coordination during one of the nation's worst disasters, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Humane Society of the United States are scheduled to appear at a joint press conference in New Orleans today to discuss the issue of animal rescue. Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle said he planned to call on the federal government to come up with the nation's first animal rescue plan.
'Government policies forced people to make an awful choice -- to be rescued and leave behind their pets or to stay in a stricken city and risk their lives,' said Pacelle, who was in San Francisco for a fundraiser before returning to New Orleans. 'We want to see a rescue policy that recognizes the incredible bond between people and their pets.'
He said the government's approach after Hurricane Katrina was to place a priority on rescuing people over pets. FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the policy. ... Many pet owners chose to stay behind rather than leave their animals..."

As more and more details unfold of the tragic events happening in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, we are left wondering what our legislators are doing to help their constituents. Animal rights organizations have been asking for changes to current policies regarding rescue efforts during disasters like this for years. What will it take for the right changes in policy to be implemented?