CENTRAL POINT (AP) - Every time a new hound arrives, Dogs for the Deaf workers store the crate because they never know when they might need one.

They've got about 40 now, portable kennels they consider too good to toss but not good enough for daily use.

“What should we do, throw them out?” asked Dogs for the Deaf President Robin Dickson.

A better idea: Make them available to emergency officials to rescue pets during a fire or flood in Jackson County.

Oregon is among several states deciding whether to require emergency plans that provide evacuation and temporary shelter for companion animals, service animals such as hearing dogs and livestock during major disasters.

Haunted by images of Hurricane Katrina victims leaving behind their pets or refusing to evacuate without them, emergency-management leaders want to coordinate shelters, kennels and rescue groups to help.

That means finding resources such as the crates at Dogs for the Deaf and preparing to put them to work fast.

Short-term kennel space, rescuers, food and water, pet-tracking and transportation also need attention.

“The idea is to identify those participants beforehand so you know what to do when something happens,” says Mike Curry, Jackson County's emergency program manager.

“Everybody has pets. No one wants to lose them. So we need to find a place for them to go.

“You hate to be the boy who cries wolf,” he says. “But without adequate planning, a disaster comes and you're at square one.”

The Legislature is taking testimony on Senate Bill 570, Oregon's response to a new federal law mandating such plans.

If some version of the bill passes, it likely will set guidelines for county emergency-management directors, Curry said.

Jackson County has plans for evacuating livestock, for temporary housing at the Jackson County Expo, but nothing for dealing with pets or other small animals, Curry said.

That excites Ann Wilton, whose nonprofit Companion Animal Rescue and Education rescues primarily unwanted cats and finds temporary homes for them.

“I could see that being quite valuable,” said Wilton, of Ashland. “But there's a lot of logistics to work out. It would be great if all the groups could work together.”

Animal evacuations can distract wildland firefighters, says Dan Thorpe, district forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry and a veteran wildland firefighter.

“Firefighters are responsible to deal with the fire, and that's what people expect of us,” Thorpe says. “Spinning our wheels on these side issues isn't a good use of our time.”

Thorpe says he believes the plan also should address hobby livestock, not just dogs and cats.

“People can tuck Fido under their arm,” he said. “But how do you deal with an emu or a llama?”