After Devastating Fires, Lawmakers Push to Expand FEMA Funding for Pet Sheltering

Cat sitting by window (Photo – .thesprucepets.com)

A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Judy Chu introduced legislation last week aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness for companion animals during natural disasters.

By News Desk

Chu joined Brian Mast, Dina Titus, Vern Buchanan, and Adam Schiff in unveiling the Providing Essential Temporary Shelter for Emergencies (PETSAFE) Act, a measure designed to help state and local governments better plan for animal evacuation and sheltering during emergencies.

The legislation comes in response to challenges families face during weather-related disasters, when evacuation orders often leave little time to act. Pet owners are frequently confronted with a difficult choice: leave their animals behind or risk their own safety by staying home. According to reporting by the Los Angeles Times following the Eaton and Palisades fires, many families delayed evacuations because they could not bear to abandon their pets, complicating rescue efforts and increasing danger for first responders.

The PETSAFE Act would expand the allowable use of existing emergency management funds to support companion animal evacuation, sheltering, veterinary care, training, and specialized rescue equipment. It also seeks to ease financial burdens on local governments by increasing the federal cost share for eligible animal preparedness activities from 50 percent to 90 percent.

Under current law, high local cost-share requirements have limited the scope of animal preparedness initiatives. Supporters of the bill argue that lowering those barriers would make it more affordable for communities to implement plans that protect both people and pets.

“When the Eaton Fire tore through my district, so many families were forced into an impossible choice,” Chu said, noting that local shelters and community members across California stepped in to care for animals relocated out of harm’s way. She added that disasters underscore the need for emergency planning that accounts for pets’ safety and well-being, and said the bill would ensure state and local governments can use FEMA grant funding to secure necessary resources.

Mast emphasized the broader public safety benefits of animal preparedness. “When we plan better for animals, we save human lives too,” he said, adding that the measure would help communities respond more quickly and keep families together.

Schiff said pets are part of the family and that communities must have the resources to ensure they are not left behind during major disasters. Titus called protecting pets during emergencies “not just compassionate, it is responsible,” while Buchanan highlighted the risks in disaster-prone states like Florida, where families may refuse to evacuate without their animals. As co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, Buchanan described the bill as a commonsense, bipartisan effort to improve preparedness and remove unnecessary cost barriers.

Animal welfare organizations also voiced support for the measure. Chris Ramon, president and CEO of Pasadena Humane, said the Eaton Fire demonstrated that disasters endanger not only people but also the animals who depend on them. Allowing FEMA funds to support local pet protection efforts would help keep families together and save lives, he said.

Daniel Leonardini, director of federal legislation for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said many Americans consider pets part of the family and may not evacuate without them. Including animals in emergency response plans, he said, is critical to preventing further devastation and protecting families, animals, and first responders.

During the Eaton Fire, Pasadena Humane alone took in more than 450 pets. The ASPCA responded to 112 service calls, assisting 538 animals — including chickens, cats, goats, pigs, parakeets, a gecko, and a tortoise — many of which were later reunited with their families.

Supporters of the PETSAFE Act say the legislation would give communities the tools and funding flexibility needed to better safeguard both residents and their animals when disaster strikes.