Katrina at 20

20 heroic tales of people helping animals 

as told to Sandra Sarr, LSU Vet Med strategic communications

Leslie Talley, LSU Vet Med veterinary technician 1987-2013

“We received so many calls for help with so many areas to cover. No one thought Katrina would be as bad as it was. They thought they’d be returning in a day or two. When they couldn’t get back home, they’d call us and give us an address so that we could go check on their animals. Authorities let us in because we had animal rescue credentials.

Dr. Rustin Moore was in charge of our large animal operation. Each morning, he gave us addresses of people who called in need. I mainly went out with a team, trucks, and trailers to St. Bernard and lower Plaquemines parishes, to the Chalmette, Violet, and Belle Chasse areas. There was so much devastation. Dr. Jay Addison (Class of 1983) knew the area and could help locate where horses and cattle needing assistance were. We went up in U.S. Coast Guard helicopters to locate cows and horses on levees so the helicopters could return to drop hay and water. Some horses could be removed by barge, though we didn’t evacuate all horses. We marked their location for food and water to be dropped. We identified those needing veterinary care.

We took Chef Menteur Highway toward Chalmette. There was no other way in or out, and there was a lot of trouble with gangs and looting. We talked in advance about what we would do if confronted with certain situations. Once we got past the checkpoint we didn’t stop for anyone, and we kept the windows up. There was a heavy National Guard presence, and the sound of military tanks and helicopters was deafening. There were burned out mail trucks, abandoned 18-wheelers, cars in the roads. We had to stop often because helicopters were landing on the highway and National Guard people with machine guns stood in the middle of the roads. We’d never seen anything like this. We rushed to be out by the 6 p.m. curfew because they told us they couldn’t guarantee our safety after that time. We arrived to one location where a whole house floated off its foundation and was found intact four acres away. I’d never seen anything like this. I’ve traveled to third-world countries, but it was shocking to see the chaos and devastation in a place we went for holidays and vacations.

We knew our mission was to help horses—and other animals we could along the way. We had to maneuver huge trailers and strategically load horses who didn’t know each other. The horses were so tired and seemed ready to get out. We had no incidents. We were lucky. A team would await us at Lamar Dixon to log where horses were found and their distinguishing details. They got unloaded and were given exams. We couldn’t be in a hurry. Their needs were huge, and they needed 24-hour care.

I never questioned why I did what I did. I had confidence in my abilities and in the people I was with. Knowing people needed help and we had the resources to provide it kept me focused. It wasn’t the first time I’d been in stressful situations. If you’ve never been challenged, you don’t know what you’re capable of. I’d volunteer to help again if needed. I know I have something to offer. I just hope people remember the things we learned and don’t become complacent.”