More than 350 Louisiana horses and mules were rescued after Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Rescuers dealt daily with images of destruction—such as barns full of trapped horses that didn’t survive, and those that simply weren’t able touch the ground in the nine feet of sludge that rose around them.

But amid the destruction, there were also stories of triumph. Horses that were turned out to fend for themselves were able to get to high ground. Horses and cattle were found together grazing atop levees that became islands of refuge; others remained close to home even without food or clean water, needing rescue. This free report is a look at the horse and mule rescue and recovery efforts put forth following the devastating hurricanes Katrina and Rita.