New WA wildfire law mandates officials to inform pet owners of resources

A new Washington law took effect Sunday that requires local governments to consider pets during wildfire evacuations.

HB 1201, sponsored by Washington House Rep. Mari Leavitt, “ensures that during natural disasters or extreme weather events, emergency shelters are prepared to accommodate pets,” according to the Washington House Democrats.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals supported lawmakers and residents in championing the bill, said Molly Grodahl, manager of media and communications for the organization.

Brittany Benesi, ASPCA senior director of state legislation for the Western division said, “The highest risk factor for evacuation noncompliance is pet ownership.”

This is backed by extensive research, including a 2012 Latin American study which found that 75% of pet-owning individuals “would take their pets with them during a disaster evacuation, even at the risk of their own safety.”

In keeping with the ASPCA’s goal of “maintaining the human-animal bond” during natural disasters, the law will enforce the establishment of co-shelter environments so that entire homes can evacuate. Though this policy is most suited for smaller companion animals, Benesi said fairgrounds and other facilities may be used for larger animals including horses.

Not every local government can support this policy, however. Benesi noted there is language in the bill that “makes it clear that the responsibility to identify” a co-shelter “is to the extent practicable, based on existing resources.”

“There is no penalty if they are not able to meet that desired goal,” she said.

Spokane County may not face much change, said Heather Kitchen of Spokane County Emergency Management. Part of her role is animal preparedness for which Spokane already has a robust protocol.

In the preliminary stages of a wildfire, Kitchen can activate the Spokane Human Evacuation Animal Rescue Team. She serves as the nonprofit’s “liaison to the government,” she said.

At that point, Spokane HEART can mobilize resources and people to ensure pet owners can evacuate with their animals. The county has partnerships with Red Cross to provide shelter.

“We typically open at the Spokane County Fairgrounds,” since the land can house a range of species, something many Red Cross facilities can’t do, Kitchen said. The fairgrounds have hosted “everything from iguanas and mice, to cats, dogs, cows, sheep, horses and emus.”

While the county already complies with the outlined policy, Kitchen said other communities may be lacking. “They’re not receiving funding to help with these mandates,” she said.

She hopes the law “does raise the bar a little bit and more agencies and counties try to do more to care for the animals in their communities.”

In addition to complying with all evacuation guidelines, Susan Anderson of the ASPCA identified numerous steps pet owners should take: updating microchips and ID tags, building an evacuation plan, ensuring emergency supplies and naming a “caretaker for your pet outside the evacuation zone.”

Anderson, a Washington resident and senior director of disaster response for the organization, also noted, “the most important thing to remember is to never leave your pet behind or tethered. … This could expose them to life-threatening hazards.”