Success: Animals Will Be Protected From Natural Disasters

Target: Chuck Schumer, Majority Leader of the United States Senate

Goal: Thank Congress for supporting the protection of animals in need during emergency disasters.

Natural disasters are devastating. They tear apart communities, decimate infrastructure, and force people and animals out of their homes. Every week now, there seems to be a new disastrous flood, drought, or hurricane. Most recently, Hurricane Fiona killed at least four people and an unknown amount of animals in Puerto Rico, and left the entire island without power. Hundreds had to be rescued from flash floods that dumped 20-32 inches of water on certain regions. Unfortunately, as the climate continues to warm, these disasters will only be exacerbated.

Many animals—such as those in zoos, research facilities, and breeding institutions—are locked in cages and have no means of escaping when disaster strikes. These animals are helpless and, when peoples’ own lives are at stake, are often a last thought. As a result, lots of them are left behind, forced to face the harsh elements alone and without the necessary resources. In this previous ForceChange petition, activists called for Congress to support the Prepared Act. If passed, this bill would require facilities regulated by the Animal Welfare Act to develop and implement emergency contingency plans for their animals.

Thanks to rising national support, the bill has officially been approved and is now waiting for the President’s signature. Sign this petition to thank Congress for supporting this increasingly important legislation and for stepping up to protect animals in need from global warming.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Senator Schumer,

We at the ForceChange community would like to thank you for supporting the Prepared Act and for taking the necessary steps towards protecting animals during natural disasters. Your support is especially important in the midst of increasingly frequent and extreme climate disasters—where each and every day, someplace or another is forced to deal with the repercussions of global warming-induced flooding, drought, or hurricanes. Animals in zoos, research facilities, and other large-scale institutions are often forgotten about and typically get left behind in these dire situations.

Thank you for forcing people to develop emergency contingency plans for their animals. You will be saving thousands of lives.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Los Angeles Fire Department