Hello, Patch Pet Lovers!
Wow, what exciting news!!! It's looking like another win benefitting animals, as well as their families… because most pet parents, including myself, would never leave their furry babies behind regardless of the circumstances!!!
Bill to allow pets on trains and buses during evacuation advances
Eases hurdle to evacuation for many
Written by Larry Higgs
TRENTON — A bill that would allow people to evacuate with their pets on public transportation during a state of emergency, which had been conditionally vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie, took another step toward becoming law Monday.
An amended bill was approved 73-0 by the Assembly Monday night and will be returned to the state Senate for consideration.
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“This is a wonderful measure, and we’re glad New Jersey will have this wonderful protection,” said Kathleen Schatzmann, state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “We’d hope all responsible pet owners would have the means to transport their (companion) animals in a safe manner during a state of emergency.”
Cats and dogs would be allowed to ride public transportation with their owner as long as they are in a carrier or leashed during a mandatory state of emergency evacuation. The one exception: The pet must not constitute a health or safety hazard. The provision only covers domestic animals.
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One of Christie’s concerns with the bill was that it didn’t say under what circumstances a pet would not be allowed to board a train or bus.
His veto message advised the bill should clarify that passengers with service animals will get priority seating, which is required by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. During non-emergencies, NJ Transit only allows service animals accompanying riders with disabilities or their trainers, police dogs, and small pets in carry-on travel cages on its trains and buses.
An amended bill to make those changes cleared the assembly with the backing of its sponsors.
The bill is necessary because of instances during storms such as Hurricane Katrina and superstorm Sandy, when people refused to evacuate their homes when faced with the decision to abandon their pets, said Jerry Rosenthal, president and CEO of the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
To address Christie’s concerns about pets that pose a safety hazard, pet owners could be required to have a copy of their animals’ vaccination records and licenses, Rosenthal said.
“There are ways to deal with this issue,” Rosenthal said. “We’re talking about about the exception, rather than the rule. We know people won’t leave (their homes) without their animals.”
Since Katrina, shelters have been established to accommodate pets and their owners, but not every shelter is equipped to handle pets, he said.
“We recognized that during Katrina a lot of people wouldn’t leave without their pets and the only mode of transportation (during the evacuation) is public transportation,” Schatzmann said. “We heard some stories that some people stayed (in their homes with pets) during Sandy as well.”
http://www.app.com/article/20140114/NJNEWS/301140073/pet-evacuation-bill?nclick_check=1
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