On September 4, 2005, U.S. Air Force Lt. Nathan Brosheal held a kitten that had been rescued and airlifted to Louisiana's New Orleans International Airport in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck the city on August 29.

Thousands of dogs, cats, and other animals have been stranded along the U.S. Gulf Coast as a result of the hurricane. Rescue workers in New Orleans denied pets entry to some shelters and often refused to allow animals aboard evacuation vehicles, according to reports.

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