Viral Dog Video Sparks Law To Save Pets In Emergencies

October 16, 2025

A heartwarming reunion between a dog named Oreo and his owner during the recent Los Angeles-area wildfires has sparked a major step forward in protecting pets during natural disasters.

Oreo the dog reunited with his owner / NBC News

California Assemblymember Rick Zbur has introduced new legislation called the FOUND (Friends of Oreo Uniting During Disasters) Act, a proposal designed to make sure no one is ever forced to leave their beloved pet behind when disaster strikes.

“The FOUND Act is something that embraces what we all understand, how important our pets are and that they are parts of our family,” Zbur said.

The inspiration came from the chaos many Californians faced trying to reunite with their animals during wildfire evacuations. Zbur said he realized that most cities and towns don’t yet have formal procedures in place to help people locate and recover pets separated during emergencies.

Under AB 478, local governments would need to include specific plans for rescuing and reuniting pets in their emergency operations. That could mean establishing emergency hotlines or even allowing owners to be escorted back into evacuated areas with the help of animal rescue organizations or first responders.

“We don’t want people to basically be skirting the roadblocks,” Zbur explained. “So if we want to protect human health and safety, we need to provide ways of people reuniting with their pet.”

The law takes its name from Oreo, the Pomeranian whose emotional reunion with his owner Casey Colvin — captured on video during the Palisades Fire — moved millions of people across the country.

“I don’t want there to be another person sobbing on the side of the road, begging the police to let them get to their dog,” Colvin told NBC News. He hopes to share his story at the state Capitol next month, using his viral moment “to help other people.”

Animal welfare advocate Judie Mancuso, CEO of Social Compassion in Legislation, which is sponsoring the bill, said it would be the first law of its kind in the nation—and hopefully not the last.

“The hope is that other states will follow,” Mancuso said. “We have a lot of animal-loving people across the United States who consider their dogs and cats their family.”

Watch the video below: