Hurricane Katrina tragically left tens of thousands of pets behind, highlighting the need for better disaster preparedness. Many people didn't evacuate because they couldn't bring their animals, leading to heartbreaking consequences and even deaths. The disaster spurred the passage of the PETS Act, encouraging states to include pets in evacuation plans. The experience showed that saving pets saves people, as many stayed behind to protect their animals. Now, the focus is on educating people to evacuate with their pets, ensuring both human and animal safety during disasters. While progress has been made, there's still work to be done to ensure adequate resources for animal rescue in emergencies.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.