CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — When hurricane season arrives along the Texas coast, emergency officials encourage residents to think beyond boarding windows and stocking bottled water. They also want families to have a plan for their pets.
Today, that planning is required by law.
The requirement stems from lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After the storm devastated the Gulf Coast, thousands of people in New Orleans were rescued without their pets because many evacuation vehicles and emergency shelters did not allow animals. Some residents even refused to evacuate rather than leave beloved pets behind.
The disaster prompted Congress to pass the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act in 2006. The law requires state and local governments seeking certain federal disaster assistance to include household pets and service animals in their emergency response plans.
Texas expanded on those protections the following year.
What is Simba's Law?
In 2007, Texas lawmakers passed Simba's Law, which requires the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to assist local governments in creating plans for the humane evacuation, transportation and temporary sheltering of household pets and service animals during disasters.
That means every one of Texas' 254 counties, including Nueces County, must have procedures in place to care for pets when emergencies force evacuations.
Rather than treating animals as an afterthought, emergency plans now include them as part of the overall disaster response.
How Nueces County prepares
Nueces County Emergency Management has established an Animal Issues Committee, which works alongside emergency managers and local animal organizations to coordinate planning for disasters.
The committee helps ensure pets are considered during hurricane response efforts, including evacuation planning and temporary sheltering when necessary.
However, county officials emphasize that emergency shelters for pets are generally not permanent facilities. Instead, pet-friendly shelters are identified and opened based on the specific emergency, and their locations are announced if an evacuation becomes necessary.
Service animals are permitted in general population shelters under federal law, but household pets may be directed to designated pet-friendly shelters depending on the situation.
How to prepare your pet before a hurricane
Emergency managers say the best time to prepare is well before a storm enters the Gulf.
Pet owners should have an emergency kit ready that includes:
- A sturdy carrier or crate for each pet.
- At least three to seven days of food and drinking water.
- Medications and any special dietary supplies.
- Vaccination and medical records stored in a waterproof container.
- A leash, harness and identification tags with current contact information.
- A recent photo of you with your pet to help prove ownership if you become separated.
- Waste bags, litter and cleaning supplies.
- Food and water bowls, along with comfort items such as a favorite blanket or toy.
Officials also recommend making sure pets are microchipped and that the registration information is current before hurricane season begins.
Never leave pets behind
Emergency officials say one message remains as important today as it was after Hurricane Katrina:
If an area is unsafe for people, it is also unsafe for pets.
Floodwaters, storm surge, debris, extreme heat and prolonged power outages can all become life-threatening for animals left behind.
If evacuation orders are issued, residents should take their pets with them and monitor official updates from Nueces County Emergency Management for information about pet-friendly shelters and evacuation resources.
With hurricane season underway, officials hope families will include every member of the household in their emergency plans — including the ones with four legs.
Nueces County encourages residents to include pets in their hurricane plans now, rather than waiting until a storm is in the gulf.
Officials also recommend monitoring county emergency alerts for information on pet-friendly shelters if evacuations become necessary.
Don't forget you can also sign up for reverse alerts for those emergency notifications.
There are two ways to sign by texting the word "breadyccnc" or online at cctexas.com/alertsignup
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