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the act in several ways. It grants FEMA the authority to assist in the
creation of disaster plans for animals. It authorizes federal funds to
establish pet-friendly emergency shelters. It also allows FEMA to
provide aid to individuals with companion or service animals, as
well as to the animals themselves. The House approved the Senate
version in September. The legislation promised to enable more peo-
ple to take their animals with them when forced to evacuate after a
disaster. Hurricane Ike showed, however, that legislation alone does
not reduce animals’ vulnerability.
In December, the LA/SPCA resumed its off-site adoption pro-
gram. The facility itself opened to the public in February 2006.
Every few weeks it moved a new step ahead. On August 8, 2006,
the LA/SPCA held a tribute to the “animals whose lives were lost or
dramatically altered during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.”^24
What We Thought We Knew
Hurricane Katrina challenged much of the existing research on ani-
mals in disasters. What we did know ahead of time was that large
numbers of animals would be affected. Surveys by the American
Veterinary Medical Association indicate that 70 percent of U.S.
households include dogs and cats. Add in birds and horses, and
the fi gure surpasses 75 percent.^25 This percentage exceeds that of
households that include children. Moreover, 60 percent of house-
holds with companion animals include multiple animals. Thus, for
every 1,000 households affected by a disaster, approximately 1,500
animals will also be involved. Conservative calculations indicate
that 281,300 of the 485,000 households in New Orleans included
animals. Any incident that affects large numbers of people will
affect animals, as well. An estimated 727,500 animals were affected
by Katrina in the city alone. Best estimates by the LA/SPCA suggest
that over 15,000 abandoned animals were rescued from the homes
and streets of New Orleans. Although the number of animals who
died is not known, reliable estimates place it in the thousands.
The animal tragedy after Hurricane Katrina reveals shifting con-
structions of victims and villains. The victims suffer harm through