Emergency shelters/pets

AN ACT Relating to identifying accommodations allowing pets in an 1
emergency or extreme weather event; adding a new section to chapter 2
38.52 RCW; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that natural 5
disasters and extreme weather events, including wildfire, flooding, 6
earthquakes, extreme heat, and extreme cold present severe risks to 7
public health and safety in Washington.8
The legislature further finds that pets are particularly 9
vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, including risk of 10
heatstroke-related illness and death. 11
The legislature further finds that many families consider their 12
pets to be family members. One of the most significant factors 13
affecting evacuation decisions is pet ownership. Pet owners may 14
refuse evacuation, attempt to reenter evacuated sites to rescue their 15
pets, and experience grief, depression, and posttraumatic stress 16
disorder due to separation from their pet during an emergency. In 17
addition, zoonotic disease risks increase when pets are abandoned or 18
left to roam during an evacuation. 19
H-0375.1
HOUSE BILL 1201
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Leavitt, Ryu, Macri, Bronoske, Simmons, and Berg
Prefiled 01/08/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.
p. 1 HB 1201
The legislature further finds that gaps in public preparedness 1
and cosheltering opportunities during a disaster or extreme weather 2
event increase the risk to public health and safety.3
The legislature further finds that partnerships with 4
nongovernmental organizations support emergency planning and 5
preparedness and may be used to support identification and operation 6
of coshelters. 7
Therefore, the legislature intends to provide guidance in 8
increasing public preparedness and identifying shelters that can 9
accommodate pets so that in the event of a disaster or extreme 10
weather event, Washington residents will not have to choose between 11
seeking safety and staying with their pets. 12
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 13
RCW to read as follows: 14
(1) A county or city, under existing plan structures, shall, to 15
the extent practicable based on available resources and site-specific 16
circumstances, consider emergency shelters, cooling centers, and 17
warming centers able to accommodate persons with pets in each update 18
of its local comprehensive emergency management plan required by RCW 19
38.52.070. 20
(a) A local comprehensive emergency management plan must:21
(i) Identify at least one emergency shelter within a county or 22
city's jurisdiction, to the extent practicable, that can accommodate 23
persons with pets; 24
(ii) Identify at least one cooling center within a county or 25
city's jurisdiction, to the extent practicable, that can accommodate 26
persons with pets; and 27
(iii) Identify at least one heating center within a county or 28
city's jurisdiction, to the extent practicable, that can accommodate 29
persons with pets. 30
(b) An emergency shelter that is identified to accommodate 31
persons with pets must have safety procedures regarding the 32
sheltering of pets and comply with disaster assistance policies and 33
procedures published by the federal emergency management agency.34
(2) A county or city shall provide pet emergency preparedness 35
information on its website, including: 36
(a) To the extent practicable, whether each designated emergency 37
shelter, cooling center, or heating center can accommodate pets;38
p. 2 HB 1201
(b) Information for creating a pet evacuation plan and emergency 1
checklist, consistent with the federal emergency management agency 2
recommendations; and 3
(c) Identification of local organizations that provide emergency 4
pet assistance. 5
(3) The following definitions apply to this section:6
(a) "Cooling center" means a facility that mitigates the public 7
health impacts of extreme heat; 8
(b) "Emergency shelter" means a temporary location that provides 9
basic shelter for individuals affected by an emergency or disaster;10
(c) "Pet" means a domesticated animal, such as a dog or cat, that 11
is commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial 12
purposes; and 13
(d) "Warming center" means a facility that mitigates the public 14
health impacts of extreme cold. 15
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p. 3 HB 1201