Equine News from 2005

LSU Hurricane Equine Rescue Operation Summary


The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Equine Clinic established the Horse Hurricane Helpline on Thursday September 1st and faculty, staff and students began fielding countless calls around the clock from people reporting horses in need of rescue. We set up a “Central Command” in conjunction with the Helpline whereby we mapped out areas where these horses were located and quickly developed a rescue strategy. The LSU Hurricane Equine Rescue Operations began assembling rescue teams comprised of veterinarians and staff from the LSU Equine Clinic, private equine veterinarians and numerous volunteers, often times consisting of a convoy of several trucks and trailers.

We deployed between 1 and 7 teams daily beginning on Friday September 2nd once we were granted access into the affected areas. Some days we rescued 60 or 70 horses from a given area and other times we rescued only 1 or 2 horses. This has been an extremely dynamic process. Some of the horses required rescue out of high water and others needed to be moved to an area where they could reliably and safely be provided with sufficient food and water.

Following Hurricane Katrina we evacuated nearly 400 horses from 7 parishes and transported them to the Lamar Dixon Expo Center where we set up a satellite veterinary clinic staffed by LSU Equine Clinic personnel and numerous volunteers in order to provide veterinary medical care, shelter, food, water and lots of compassionate tender loving care. The horses undergo careful identification and documentation upon arrival for purposes of re-uniting them with their owners. Some horses require medical treatment in the field prior to transport, and all horses are thoroughly examined and evaluated by veterinary staff at the Lamar Dixon facility and provided necessary treatment. Care is provided by veterinarians, veterinary students and volunteers under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Dennis French, an LSU Equine Clinic staff veterinarian. Bonnie Clark, President of the Louisiana Equine Council, serves as the coordinator of the equine facility at Lamar Dixon and helps keep track of the horses and makes sure sufficient food, water, supplies and volunteers are available.

Our goal is to care for these horses until we can successfully re-unite them with their owners. Thus far, we have released approximately 250 of the horses to their owners and have re-united many others. Currently, there are approximately 150 horses at the facility, several of which are receiving some level of veterinary treatment for various illnesses or injuries. Seven of the horses have required referral to the LSU Equine Clinic for more advanced veterinary medical care.

The response of the numerous people involved in this rescue operation is amazing considering the enormity and complexity of the problems resulting from Hurricane Katrina, and compounded by Hurricane Rita. The most rewarding part of this operation is to save the lives of these horses and to re-unite horses and owners. It has been said that veterinarians are good for horses; and horses are good for people. It is our greatest reward to see that circle complete, to play a role in protecting the bond between humans and animals, and to experience in the joy that so many of these owners have had in being reunited with their horses that they care so deeply for.

Many of the owners lost absolutely everything, and the only thing they have to hold onto is their horse – thus, these horses represent an extremely powerful emotional attachment to their homes. We have witnessed numerous tearful reunions of horses with owners that thought their horses had perished subsequent to the storm.

In addition, the LSU Hurricane Equine Rescue Operations teams have rescued over 300 dogs, several cats and some birds, rabbits, goats, potbellied pigs, iguanas and even several people. The group also continues to haul feed and water for horses, livestock, dogs and cats into these areas. We have taken numerous truckloads of food and supplies, including generators, for the people that remained behind in areas in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes to help care for the horses and other animals. Even last weekend additional hay and supplies donated from around the country were transported and delivered to victims in St. Bernard Parish by LSU staff.

Just as our role as rescuers changed to that of situation monitors and supply providers, our state was hit yet again with another extremely dangerous storm. Hurricane Rita slammed into the Louisiana coast on September 23rd causing additional flooding in some of the mid-eastern portions of the State, and brought hurricane winds, rain, and 15-foot tidal surges into the Southwestern region of Louisiana.

Again, LSU was there. Re-activating our helpline 24 hours before the storm hit, we again were receiving calls for help. Immediately upon learning of the hardest hit areas, LSU was instrumental in coordinating efforts with local veterinary practitioners and Parish officials. A new staging area, the Sugarena in New Iberia, Louisiana was identified as the most adequate and strategically located facility for housing displaced horses and other animals.

LSU personnel, along with area volunteers, and local practitioners again embraced the task of organizing rescue efforts as they were needed. While the storm experience was similar to that of Katrina, the aftermath was different, in that the marshlands of southwestern Louisiana are not bound by levees. The tidal surge swept seaward almost as quickly as it came ashore; but its impact was very similar. Homes and businesses were ripped from their foundations and shrimp boats and sea life were found displaced in the middle of sugar cane fields. Most livestock were left in open pasture, a lesson learned from Hurricane Katrina. And while many were able to find high ground, several were caught in fences and sadly drowned from the force of the flood.

Rescue teams were dispatched to Iberia, Vermillion and Cameron Parishes. Others went further west to areas near Lake Charles and Sulphur. LSU teams brought 20 horses out of Sulphur and delivered veterinary supplies to Sugarena to assist with the effort of the local practitioners who are monitoring the day to day health of the evacuated horses. Over 80 horses have been evacuated or rescued and taken to Sugarena for veterinary care, food, water and shelter. Numerous other horses and cattle were rescued or evacuated by owners and ranchers.

At the time of this writing, LSU personnel are still working to assist horses caught deep in the Mississippi delta region. Last weekend, staff members surveyed the area via helicopter with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard. Approximately thirty-five horses were identified and marked with GPS coordinates. In addition, LSU personnel marked the locations of over 200 cattle also stranded in the area. These animals are stranded miles from any passable road. With accessibility being an issue, a plan is in place for the eventual rescue of these animals. Currently we area working with USDA and the National Guard to drop hay into the area until an effective evacuation plan can be implemented.

The best way to assist the Louisiana Horse Victims of Hurricane Katrina (rescue, recovery, veterinary care, sheltering and rehabilitation.) is to provide a monetary contribution by making a check payable to the LVMA Equine Committee Foundation and write Horse Hurricane Relief on the memo line. Send the check to Dr. Sonny Corley, LVMA Equine Committee Foundation, 121 E. Gloria Switch, Lafayette, LA 70507. For more information on the Hurricane Equine Rescue Operation and/or the LSU Equine Health Studies Program, please visit www.LSUEquine.com.

Media Contact:
Ky Mortensen
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
225.578.9590
kmortensen@vetmed.lsu.edu

The mission of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is to provide superior education in veterinary medicine and related fields, to offer a wide range of superior services to the general public and the veterinary medical community, and to maintain a relevant, high-quality research program in basic and applied fields.