Taking pets when evacuated

Hopefully we are learning from Katrina. From the Miami Herald:

"...both people and pets died as a result of pet owners being hesitant to leave their homes in Katrina, as well as the fact that facilities such as kennels and veterinary clinics on the Gulf Coast were not always reliable options.

The bottom-line truth was obvious: the best evacuation is for pet owners and their pets to get away from the Gulf Coast.

Cooperative efforts of the South Mississippi Humane Society, the Harrison County (Miss.) schools and civil defense has resulted in a much-needed pet-friendly evacuation shelter."

Bottom line?

"If you have pets, you have the responsibility to provide for their evacuation plan as urgently as your own. The lives of both you and your pets may depend on it."