The numbers are staggering: there are more than 30,000 pets in Lamorinda. People love their pets. They are pampered family members. But what is going to happen to them during a disaster? What if you have to evacuate and the Red Cross shelter will not allow you to bring your animal? What if the "pet-friendly" hotels are full? Whose job is is to not only save you and your human children, but also your 'other children'? Who will save The Whole Family?

The answer will shock you: NOBODY.

Forget about the Pets Act and the promises of politicians after Katrina that "never again" pet owners would be forcibly separated from their animals. Remember the uproar about Snowball, a small white dog that somehow made it on to a bus with the little boy that owned him? Remember seeing the video where someone in uniformn entered the bus and forcibly took the animal from the child? Remember that in spite of hundreds of people looking for Snowball, Snowball was NEVER found? It may happen again! And it may happen in Lamorinda...

The Pets Act was passed to help protect household animals during a disaster. But it has no teeth. The law does not force any city or county to train people to provide sheltering for animals similar to what the Red Cross is doing for people. The law does not require cities to invest in crates and tents and vehicles to help transport and shelter your pets. The Pets Act has no teeth. Animal Rescuers refer to it as the 'No Pet Left Behind' Act. An unfunded mandate and therefor not implemented in the way the authors of the legislation intended.

Even in our own, affluent, "civil minded" Lamorinda the Pets Act has no teeth. Sure, the emergency plans of our cities refer to pets, and how necessary it is to build a local group of well-equipped people to assists pets and their owners duing a disaster. After these lofty goals there is a vague reference to what the County is doing. And that is it. There is no funding for a Lamorinda animal rescue and sheltering group. There is no budget to acquire 'the stuff' that would be needed, like crates, litter pans, dog runs, food and water bowls, or food and water to stockpile. Just that vague reference to the County's Animal Services Department that has just had its budget slashed, lost dozens of animal control officers and has three trailers filled with 'stuff' that is just about enough to help 300 animals in total. That is it!

30,000 pets in Lamorinda and each one of them is at risk of becoming the next Snowball.

The Lamorinda Disaster Animal Response Team was formed by experienced animal disaster responders to at least begin to raise awareness about the risks for pets and their owners. We trained our first cohort in early 2009 and quickly found ourselves assisting pet owners in Santa Cruz during the Lockheed Fire. Together with our partners, Noah's Wish and the American Red Cross, we are trying to fill the holes in the Pets Act left by federal, state and local politicians. Join us. Let's save the whole family.