Dogs rescued from Katrina still looking for forever home

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Hurricane Katrina is a name many people will remember. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history, with more than 1,800 people losing their lives when the Category Five hurricane made landfall in August, 2015.

During rescue operations, many pets were left behind to fend for themselves. While Animal Rescue workers worked to save as many dogs as possible, some of those dogs are still homeless, over a decade after the deadly hurricane.

Three of these dogs - Cuddles, Chancey and Princess - are living out their golden years, in an animal sanctuary in the Prescott Valley area.

One could argue these dogs would have quite a story to tell, if they can only talk.

"They can't talk, but I talk to them," said Matthew Gordon with Circle L Ranch. "I'm out here every morning talking to them."

Cuddles, Chancey and Princess area all Pitbull mixes, and they are still up for adoption. The three dogs are far away from where they came from: New Orleans, Louisiana. All three were left displaced after Katrina, when many people were forced to make a heartbreaking decision: either leave their pets behind, or be rescued from floodwaters.

Many believed they would be able to quickly return home and retrieve their pets. Sadly, that wasn't the case for many pets, as some reports estimate that over 200,000 pets were left homeless, in the aftermath of Katrina.

For Cuddles, Chancey and Princess, they moved from shelter to shelter before ending up at a monastery in Young, Ariz., where they were taken care of by monks before the monastery shut down a year ago.

The dogs have their own set up at the sanctuary, and despite all they have been through, the three love nothing more than to hang out with people.

"This is quite literally why his name is cuddles," said Gordon. "He'll just rub on you, and he'll sit with you as long as he can stand still."

Time has taken a toll on the three, as they do with many dogs. The three dogs' energy level are a bit lower, and their faces a bit whiter. Still, they are looking for a forever home.

"They're all good dogs. Great dogs," said Gordon.

To learn more about the Circle L Ranch, click here.