The levees weren't the only things that fell short in 2005 with the arrival of Katrina in the Big Easy. So did the city's evacuation plans.

By most reports, some 50,000 pets were abandoned in New Orleans during the aftermath of hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Many of them perished, their owners forced to choose between accepting a lift to safety and staying behind with their animals. Some chose to stay, generally adding to the overall casualty count.

A year later, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006, requiring local and state governments to include pets in their evacuation plans.

The results?

As Ana Zorrilla, CEO of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, told National Geographic News, this was "the first time in history that pets have been a priority in an evacuation."

Last weekend, as Hurricane Gustav bullied its way through the Gulf region toward New Orleans, thousands of locals handed their pets off to rescue workers in an effort to beat the storm. Climate-controlled vehicles patrolled the city 24/7, hastening pets and their owners out of Gustav's path. The city's strays had been evacuated the week before to shelters in Baton Rouge and Dallas in a no-holds-barred attempt to avoid another Katrina.

Animal rescue groups like Best Friends Animal Society and Pasado's Safe Haven, both of which appeared on the scene after Katrina brought the Crescent City to its knees and, between them, rescued more than 7,000 dogs and cats, were back last weekend, ahead of Gustav — this time putting into play effective measures to prevent lost pets and loss of life.

Best Friends made 3,000 pet carriers available to evacuees — one of the rules of evacuation being that animals of a certain size must be crated. And in an overnight pre-emptive strike, Pasado's moved 67 animals from a St. Bernard parish shelter to a 600-acre farm in Folsom, La.

Other measures new to the Bayou State's evacuation plan: pet owners were issued wristbands and pet collars with matching ID numbers; large dogs were crated and transported in refrigerated vehicles; dogs under 15 pounds were allowed to accompany owners on an organized 10-hour bus ride to a pet-friendly shelter at the state fairgrounds in Shreveport; disaster response teams specializing in animal welfare were available to ensure the proper care and handling of evacuated pets.

All in all, both human and animal evacuations went smoother. And while much of that had to do with more inclusive evacuation plans, some of it had to do with a call for better preparation on the part of pet owners. As reported by CNN, Sam Irwin, press secretary for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, made clear the state's position: "From the commissioner's office to the state veterinarian, we have all been preaching personal responsibility. Planning for an emergency is part of being a responsible pet owner."

We may not all live in a hurricane region, but none of us is immune to natural disaster, whether tornado, flood, fire or earthquake. Pet owners should take steps to prepare for the care of family pets during an emergency. Here are a few tips to help ready your household:

— Microchip your pet and attach an ID tag with your phone number to his collar for easy identification.

— Take photos of you and your pets together for proof of ownership. Laminate a few and keep them in your car, wallet or emergency kit, along with your pet's medical records. Mail copies to a friend or relative for safekeeping.

— Plug the numbers of several pet-friendly hotels into your cell and also keep them on a piece of paper in your wallet. Research this now, while you have an Internet connection or an open library. You're looking for a place out of the disaster zone and within driving distance of home.

— Arrange with a friend or neighbor to take care of one another's pets if disaster strikes when one of you is out of town. Exchange pet photos and medical records, house keys, and emergency contact information today for a relaxed and prepared tomorrow.

Woof!

Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.

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