(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. [2007 c.98 §3]
Note: Section 6, chapter 98, Oregon Laws 2007, provides:
Sec. 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 [401.272] and 5 [401.274] of this 2007 Act. [2007 c.98 §6]
Section: Previous 401.261 401.263 401.265 401.267 401.269 401.270 401.271 401.272 401.273 401.274 401.275 401.280 401.282 401.284 401.286 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008