Americans forced to abandon pets during foreign evacuations by Katerina Lorenzatos Makris
What if you were working for the American government or a corporation overseas, told by the U.S. Department of State that you had to evacuate, but weren’t allowed to take along your beloved animal companions?
That’s what happened to many Americans during the recent evacuations from Egypt.
The U.S. Pet Evacuations and Standards Act of 2006, requiring authorities to include pets in evacuation planning, does not extend to foreign soil, according to State Department Press Officer Andrew Laine.
Although Laura Allen of Animal Law Coalition agrees on the legal issue, she argues, "Disaster relief for pets is even more compelling for citizens stranded overseas. People working abroad are more dependent on the government's help in leaving and so are their pets.”
Read about a coalition of groups who are working to help the State Department improve its policy on pets during foreign evacuations.
