As southern Louisiana reaches the one week anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, rescue efforts continue on a large scale for horses affected by the storm and subsequent flooding.

Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, the central staging area for horses recently retrieved from the New Orleans area currently houses 90 horses and mules yet to be claimed by their owners.

“Nineteen carriage horses and mules were reached last night from the downtown area,” said Bonnie Clark, president of the Louisiana Horse Council. “We have them here and the veterinarians and student veterinarians have been working to stabilize these horses and prepare for the next to arrive as we anticipate a good number of additional horses to be reached and retrieved before the end of the day.”

Working tirelessly since the beginning of the catastrophe, LSU field service veterinarian Dr. Dennis French has been the primary veterinarian in charge of efforts at Lamar-Dixon and has coordinated all health monitoring duties with the assistance of a number of LSU veterinary students who have worked diligently under his supervision for days