Katrina Animal Rescue organizations tell of some heartwarming and some heartbreaking stories that continue to emerge from the wreckage of what was once a city of legend. As humans fled the devastation of Katrina most animals were abandoned except those fortunate enough to be taken in vehicles by their owners. Although some did escape there are still tragic stories emerging from New Orleans and surrounding areas of pet dogs, cats and birds that are still being found and cared for by several animal rescue groups. Larger animals like horses and cattle however suffered just as much and carcasses of their dead littered the area and contributed to the pollution of the floodwaters.

Many people have favored horses as pets and Hollywood over the years caused some abundant use of Kleenex with movies like National Velvet, My Friend Flicka, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion and more recently Robert Redford's Horse Whisperer. Because of time limitations, their size and the circumstances, it was more difficult to make arrangements for horses, but Glenn and Kaye Harris, who own Pony Paradise,welcomed another Katrina pony called Molly into their already large herd, as well as dogs and cats that their friends and associates at MuttShack Animal Rescue brought in.

"Veterinary History is being created right now with Molly, whose leg was badly mauled by a dog," said Amanda St.John, Founder of MuttShack Animal Rescue. "This beautiful pony had a very mild temperament which allowed an amputation to be successfully performed by Dr Rustin Moore and Dr Martin Vidal of Louisiana State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. A prosthesis for Molly is now being contracted which, when completed, will alter the long-standing viewpoint that if a horse breaks or seriously damages a leg, it has to be euthanized. This is one time where tragedy results in new hope for the future and stops the unnecessary killing of maimed but otherwise healthy horses."

MuttShack is one of several animal rescue organizations that have saved countless numbers of pets' lives and are still doing an amazing job in a disaster zone. When one considers that approximately 200,000 creatures perished, their task is enormous and volunteers, equipment and donations are desperately needed to avoid having to stop their heroic efforts. See their website at www.muttshack.org for more details of pet rescue.

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