Stop Pets From ‘Disappearing’ During Natural Disasters

Target: Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States

Goal: Demand changes in microchip regulations to help owners reunite with their missing pets amidst more frequent natural disasters.

It is absolutely devastating when a pet goes missing. Pets are more than just animals we take into our homes and feed–they are members of our family and it is our obligation to do what we can to protect them. Unfortunately, in the midst of Hurricane Ian and other recent, increasingly frequent natural disasters many pets have disappeared. These animals can be swept up by raging waters and taken miles beyond their original homes, making it extremely difficult for owners to track them.

Microchips exist as a method of finding and identifying lost pets, so that they may be returned to their rightful caretakers. However, despite their importance, there are currently no state or federal rules or regulations of microchips in the U.S. Typically, microchips are registered in the name of pet adoption organizations, making them the primary contact over pet owners. This slows down the process and decreases the chances of a pet being reunited with its original owner. Additionally, while there is no mandate on microchips, such legislation would likely save thousands of pets—as well as thousands of worried owners. Due to inflation and other economic issues, animals are being surrendered to shelters at a rampant pace which are, in turn, growing overcrowded. Many shelters have higher euthanasia rates than before, making it imperative that the these pets are found in a timely manner.

Sign this petition to demand the U.S. enforce stricter regulations on pet microchips. Now more than ever, we must take extra preventative measures to keep pets safe and with their families.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear President Biden,

More and more often, we are hearing stories of beloved pets getting tragically separated from their owners by devastating hurricanes and floods. While microchips exist as a method of reuniting pets with their families, there are currently no state or federal laws regulating microchips in the U.S. Especially in times of inflation where animal shelters are becoming overcrowded and are having to resort to euthanizing entirely adoptable animals, it is vital to come up with a better system to return pets to their owners quickly and safely.

We are asking you, Mr. Biden, to update microchip laws to include the mandate of microchips for pets and the listing of owners, rather than adoption or breeding agencies, as primary contacts.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: ChrisGoldNY


27 Comments

  1. Evan Jane Kriss says:

    This is a really good idea. Collars and tags can fall off! Please make this the LAW everywhere now.

  2. NO to this!! Let’s just bring back ear tattoos as pet I.D. – the old “standard.” Microchips have been known to cause cancer & more at the injection site and many adverse reactions are NOT reported. No “digital ID” for anyone, thanks. Read and learn:
    https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/should-you-microchip-your-dog/
    Other hugely important reasons not to:
    https://www.happypreppers.com/chips.html

    • ALL CONSPIRACY THEORY BULLSHIT. Go see a shrink.

    • What a load of bullroar. I have had all my pets microchipped since it’s been available. Never heard of such crap. Vets are saying this person is way off the mark and that’s being polite. If you care about your pet get it done. Tattoos anywhere can cause infections if not done right or cared for properly. If you care and hope to see your pet after it gets lost GET IT DONE.

      • Being in animal rescue i know so many vets through the over 20 years of animal rescue. NOT ONE said pets they microchipped got cancer from it.THOUSANDS of pets from adoption to death of pet. Took me about 4 hours to get this info. One retired vet did me a huge favor and looked at his records. NOT ONE CASE OF CANCER WHERE MICROCHIP WAS INSERTED. He asked me where i got this bs from. Majority of his patients, including my cat, died from kidney issues due to old age.

    • I don’t know where you heard that “microchips cause cancer & more at the injection site,” as well as “many adverse reactions,” but that’s all just utter NONSENSE!! Microchipping is a GREAT idea, but a microchip is only as good as the information on it. It must be kept up to date.

  3. Agree with what you write

  4. Christopher Sonnier says:

    Microchips alone will not solve this issue. I have seen this first hand, living in Cameron Larish Louisiana and having to endure direct landfalls from Cat 4 Laura and Cat 2 Delta, only 45 days apart in 2020. Pet owners must be held criminally responsible for leaving pets behind. Sadly during Laura, there were dogs teathered to trees in 150+ mph winds and when I confronted the owners, they said they simply forgot about them. UNACCEPTABLE!

    • Totally unacceptable–my animals would be the first thing I thought about.

    • This is why i would save an animal before a human.

    • Thank you Mr. Sonnier! Why do owners leave their pets (family) behind? My kids and fur baby would be the first things gotten. Anything else is 100% replaceable.

    • I think it’s somewhat harsh to hold pet owners CRIMINALLY responsible for leaving pets behind. In a natural disaster, not all shelters will accept pets, so, what are they to do?

      • Christopher Sonnier says:

        You think it’s harsh to hold pet owners criminally responsible for leaving pets tied up to die? Our area experienced 150+ mph winds for several hours and 18 ft. of Storm surge. Leaving a pet tied up to endure those conditions is wilfully animal cruelty at the least. When the conditions are going to be so bad that local officials are instructing people to grab a sharpie and write their social security number on their arm so the body van be identified later, do you think a pet can survive said conditions tethered to a tree? If people cannot find a shelter that accepts pets, they can do what I did… drive to a safe location out of harms way and sleep in your vehicle woth your pets. THERE IS ZERO EXCUSE for knowing sentencing your pets to death.

  5. Joseph Kenosky says:

    We must do better

  6. I strongly agree that pets should never be left behind in a storm.

  7. Why do we have to fight for commonsence for animals!!!

  8. Barbara Jane Bible says:

    My baby is microchipped!

    • And do not believe the crap on here that microchips can cause cancer. My vet does not pressure anyone to get pets microchipped but she said that person who wrote article against microchips is a quack.

  9. Animals deserve to be saved too!

  10. The odds of finding a pet goes way up when they are chipped.

  11. It’s beyond sad how ppl abandon their pets during natural disasters. Pets are family. Dogs are the most loyal creatures. Their owners owe it to them to bring them along during any evacuation.

  12. Microchipping is a great idea, but a microchip is only as useful as the information on it. If a microchip isn’t kept up to date, it’s useless.

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