Bart was the subject of an NPR interview which I heard on 5/21/11 about his pet rescue business. Interestingly the interviewer asked how Bart knew he wouldn't be raptured and he replied with a Bible verse reference not the verse itself or an explanation of the specific actions Bart and his minions have done to guarantee they won't be raptured. I suspect Bart knew the audience would find the details distasteful and the interviewer didn't care. I did find Bart's answer to one question hard to believe. The interviewer asked Bart how a client could be sure that Bart would honor the contract after they were gone. He suggested that the client find a Jewish person, or Druid, or some other friend who would not be raptured and have them check on the animal. REALLY, then why do they need Bart? Actually they don't. Bart gets interviewed because of the notariety and novelty of his business, but it is not necessary. In the wake of hurricane Katrina it was discovered that many people did not evacuate because they didn't want to leave their pets and shelters would not take them. The result was passage of a federal law called PETS
[quote]Q: What does the PETS Act do?
A: The PETS Act amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that State and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency.
The PETS Act authorizes FEMA to provide rescue, care, shelter, and essential needs for individuals with household pets and service animals, and to the
household pets and animals themselves following a major disaster or emergency.For DHS and its agency that oversees emergency response – the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – to implement the PETS Act effectively, two other documents support FEMA's activities to ensure optimal preparedness and response associated with companion animals:
Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA):PKEMRA codifies and expands FEMA's regional office structure and strengthens its all-hazards operational framework and coordination capabilities. It expanded the federal role in emergency response by designating FEMA as the sole primary agency, and
it added additional authorities and responsibilities for FEMA to, among other actions, ensure pet rescue and shelter. In an emergency wherein the federal government will assist a state, FEMA will procure support from federal partner agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as the American Red Cross partners.
National Response Framework (NRF):
The NRF is a document that establishes a comprehensive, national, all-hazards approach to emergency response. It identifies the key response principles, roles and structures that organize national response. It describes how communities, States, the Federal Government and private-sector and nongovernmental partners apply key response principles for a coordinated and effective nationwide response.
While the PETS Act was a catalyst for implementation of preparedness plans at the state and local levels of government, it takes all three documents (PETS Act, PKEMRA, and the NRF) for a truly effective and comprehensive response.
http://www.avma.org/disaster/petsact_faq.aspOne problem which may not be appreciated is that after a major disaster, access to impacted areas is often restricted to prevent looting or due to local hazards. It may not be possible for a private citizen to enter especially if they are not residents of the area so it would take a federal agency to respond.
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