Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Chu Introduces Bill to Boost Federal Funding for Pet Rescue During Disasters

After the devastating Eaton Fire, Rep. Chu visited the more than 450 pets that Pasadena Humane took in as families rushed to evacuate their homes. [Based on image from Office of Congresswoman Chu]

Bipartisan legislation would nearly double the federal share of animal emergency preparedness costs, citing last year’s fire

When the Eaton Fire swept through Altadena and parts of Pasadena on January 7, 2025, families fled with minutes to spare. Many left pets behind. Others refused to go at all.

Rep. Judy Chu, whose 28th Congressional District includes Pasadena, cited those decisions last week when she joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing the PETSAFE Act, a bill that would make it significantly cheaper for local governments to prepare for animal evacuation and sheltering during disasters. The bill, formally known as the Providing Essential Temporary Shelter for Emergencies Act, was introduced February 9 as H.R. 7438 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

The legislation would increase the federal cost share for companion animal emergency preparedness from 50 percent to 90 percent. Under current law, communities must cover half the cost of animal disaster planning activities. The PETSAFE Act would reduce that local burden to 10 percent, according to the bill’s sponsors. It does not authorize new federal spending but expands the allowable use of existing emergency management funds for animal evacuation, sheltering, veterinary care, training, and specialized rescue equipment.

“When the Eaton Fire tore through my district, so many families were forced into an impossible choice,” Chu said in a statement. “As a result, many families delayed evacuating because they couldn’t bear to leave their pets behind.”

The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Brian Mast, a Florida Republican; Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada; and Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, who co-chairs the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus. Sen. Adam Schiff of California introduced companion legislation in the Senate, making the effort bicameral as well as bipartisan.

Pasadena Humane, the 122-year-old nonprofit that serves as the designated evacuation center for small animals in the area, sheltered more than 450 pets during the Eaton Fire, according to the press release announcing the bill. The ASPCA responded to 112 service calls in the fire’s early days, helping 538 animals — including chickens, goats, pigs, parakeets, a gecko, and a tortoise — many of which were reunited with their families, according to the same announcement.

“The Eaton Fire showed us that disasters don’t just displace people — they endanger the animals who depend on us,” Chris Ramon, president and CEO of Pasadena Humane, said in a statement accompanying the legislation. “Allowing FEMA funds to support local efforts to protect pets during emergencies helps keep families together and saves lives.”

Ramon led Pasadena Humane’s emergency response during the fire, first as interim CEO and later as permanent head of the organization. Under his leadership, the shelter assisted more than 1,500 animals and reunited over 1,600 pets with displaced families in the weeks following the fire, according to Pasadena Humane.

The PETSAFE Act builds on the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006, which was signed into law after Hurricane Katrina. That law required states seeking FEMA assistance to include pets and service animals in their emergency plans. The new bill would go further by lowering the financial barriers that have limited many communities from fully implementing animal preparedness programs.

“When we plan better for animals, we save human lives too,” Mast said in a statement. “This bill helps communities prepare smarter, respond faster, and keep families together when disaster strikes.”

Daniel Leonardini, director of federal legislation for the ASPCA, called the bill a practical step toward keeping families intact during emergencies. The ASPCA is among the organizations supporting the legislation, according to Mast’s office.

A previous version of the PETSAFE Act was introduced in the 118th Congress but did not advance. The current version has been referred to committee, and no hearing has been scheduled.

The bill comes 13 months after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena and surrounding communities. Pasadena Humane began taking in animals the night the fire started and did not stop for weeks, converting offices and training rooms into makeshift kennels to accommodate the surge.

Ramon, a La Cañada Flintridge native who first volunteered at Pasadena Humane as a teenager, said the fire underscored what animal welfare organizations have long argued: that pet safety and human safety are inseparable. Families who cannot bring their animals often refuse to leave, complicating evacuations and putting first responders at greater risk.

“Our bill would ensure that state and local governments can utilize FEMA grant money to purchase the resources they need to protect animals during disasters,” Chu said in a statement.

The shelter at 361 South Raymond Avenue which has served the community since 1903 — is still caring for a handful of animals from the Eaton Fire more than a year later.