In late August and early September 2005, news networks depicted the widespread devastation and despair Hurricane Katrina had caused in scenes resembling those you might see in an apocalyptic movie. Many volunteers who assisted residents said the reality of Katrina’s fury only sank in when they saw the destruction firsthand and met people the storm impacted.

I had the opportunity to examine an aspect of Katrina that mainstream news outlets didn’t cover as closely: Scores of livestock and horse owners impacted by Katrina’s storm surge and resulting flooding and tornadoes. My then-editor sent me to coastal Louisiana within weeks of the storm. With camera, recorder, notebook, copious pens, VapoRub (to mask smells of decomposition), thick-soled boots, and a tetanus shot, I headed to New Orleans with names of a few people I’d interviewed over the phone and would soon meet face-to-face.

Hurricane Katrina

Farther inland at the evacuation center were life and an overwhelming sense of gratitude from horse owners

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