The Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine Equine Clinic established the Horse Hurricane Helpline on Thursday, Sept. 1, 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 wherein 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 consisting of a convoy of several trucks and trailers. See photos of the rescue team here.

Once we were granted access into the affected areas, we deployed from one to seven teams daily beginning on Friday Sept. 2, and these rescue teams have continued through today (Sept. 16). Some days we rescued 60 or 70 horses from a given area, and other times we rescued only one or two horses. This has been an extremely dynamic process. Today (Sept. 16), we have a team returning to the Algiers and Plaquemines Parish areas to rescue up to seven horses. 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.

We have evacuated over 350 horses from seven 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 Dennis French, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABVP, 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