Chapter 98
AN ACT
SB 570
Relating to animal emergency operations
plans.
Be It Enacted by the People of
the State of
SECTION 1. The Legislative Assembly finds that:
(1) During an evacuation
after a major disaster or an emergency, many pet owners are reluctant to leave
their pets and are willing to risk their lives to protect their pets.
(2) Animals are
important to their owners and the presence of an animal brings comfort to an
owner and may enhance recovery for an owner distressed over injury or damage
caused by a major disaster or an emergency.
(3) Significant loss of
livestock as a result of a major disaster or an emergency would seriously
threaten the economy of
(4) It is essential that
the Office of Emergency Management and the State Department of Agriculture work
together to develop emergency operations plans for animals and livestock that
provide for animals and livestock during a major disaster or an emergency.
SECTION 2. Sections 3 and 4 of this 2007 Act are added
to and made a part of ORS 401.260 to 401.325.
SECTION 3. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Companion animal”
means a domestic animal commonly kept as a household pet.
(b) “Service animal”
means an animal that assists or performs tasks for a person with a sensory,
emotional, mental or physical disability.
(2) The Office of
Emergency Management, in cooperation with the State Department of Agriculture
and county and local governments, shall prepare a written animal emergency
operations plan that provides for the evacuation, transport and temporary
sheltering of companion animals and service animals during a major disaster or
an emergency.
(3) The office, in
developing the plan, shall emphasize the protection of human life and shall
consider:
(a) Allowing owners of
service animals to be evacuated, transported and
sheltered with their service animals;
(b) Establishing a
sufficient number of evacuation shelters equipped to temporarily shelter
companion animals and service animals in close proximity to a human sheltering
facility;
(c) Allowing owners and
their companion animals to be evacuated together whenever possible;
(d) Establishing an
identification system to ensure that owners who are separated from their
companion animals or service animals during an evacuation are provided with all
information necessary to locate and reclaim their animals;
(e) Transporting companion
animals or service animals, in cages or carriers that safely and securely
confine the animals, in an impending major disaster or emergency;
(f) Recommending that
animal shelters, humane societies, veterinary offices, boarding kennels,
breeders, grooming facilities, animal testing facilities and any other entity
that normally houses companion animals or service animals create evacuation
plans for the animals housed at their facilities;
(g) Establishing
recommended minimum holding periods for companion animals or service animals
that are sheltered during a major disaster or an emergency; and
(h) Creating and
promoting an educational campaign for owners of companion animals or service
animals that will:
(A) Encourage owners to
plan for and incorporate their animals in the owners’ personal plans in the
event of a major disaster or an emergency; and
(B) Inform owners of
companion animals or service animals about the animal emergency operations plan
prepared under this section.
SECTION 4. (1) A person engaged in search and rescue
operations may make every practicable attempt under the circumstances to rescue
a companion animal.
(2) This section does
not impose liability on or expand liability of a person engaged in search and
rescue operations.
SECTION 5. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Emergency” has the
meaning given that term in ORS 401.025.
(b) “Livestock” means
cattle, horses, sheep and any other animals designated by the State Department
of Agriculture.
(c) “Major disaster” has
the meaning given that term in ORS 401.025.
(2) The State Department
of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Office of Emergency Management and
county and local governments, shall prepare a written livestock emergency
operations plan that provides for the evacuation, transport and temporary
sheltering of livestock during a major disaster or an emergency.
(3) The department, in
developing the plan, shall consider:
(a) Methods for
providing adequate food and water for livestock during a major disaster or an
emergency;
(b) Methods for
providing livestock with adequate shelter or protection from harsh weather
conditions during a major disaster or an emergency;
(c) Creating and
promoting an educational campaign for owners of livestock that will:
(A) Encourage owners to
plan for and incorporate their livestock in the owners’ personal plans in the
event of a major disaster or an emergency; and
(B) Inform owners of
livestock about the livestock emergency operations plan prepared under this
section; and
(d) Any other methods or
arrangements that the department determines would protect livestock during a
major disaster or an emergency.
SECTION 6. The Office of Emergency Management, pursuant
to ORS 401.280, shall apply to the United States Department of Homeland
Security for federal funds available under the federal Pets Evacuation and
Transportation Standards Act of 2006 to carry out the purposes of sections 3
and 5 of this 2007 Act.
Approved by the Governor May 7, 2007
Filed in the office of Secretary of State May 7, 2007
Effective date January 1, 2008
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