So many heroic stories emerged from the Hurricane Katrina era of American history that one could get dizzy from this steady stream of impossible achievements. Most have to do with rescues of people that might otherwise have drowned or lost all of their possessions only to be given a second chance at life by a special organization or individuals. But there are also plenty of amazing animal rescue stories. The fall and rise of Molly, a 15-year-old Appaloosa rescued not once but twice by Kaye Harris, ranks among the most heartwarming tales of courage and persistence. Harris owns a small horse farm in St. Rose, not far from New Orleans, The first time she rescued Molly was soon after the August 2005, a hurricane devastated the area.
Harris found her wandering in a pasture, apparently abandoned by her owners who had fled the storm. “One day I came home and when I pulled my car up to the fence I saw that Molly was laying down and the dog was barking at her,” Harris said. “In the next second, he grabbed her and started shaking her.” Harris hurdled the fence and screamed at the dog, who let go and watched in horror as the blood spurted out of the horse as a levee had broken in her body. Molly was in shock but Harris, despite fears that her cell phone battery was limited, kept her wits about her, called her veterinarian, Allison Barca, and started cleaning her up.
“Imagine putting something through a meat grinder. That’s what she looked like,” Harris said recently with the same with the breathless urgency as if it had just occurred. Molly couldn’t stand up, so using a blanket as a sling, Harris got her into a stall and the horse collapsed. “This started this journey of trying to get her to heal,” Harris continued. In the third day after the attack, the signs that this was not an ordinary horse started to reveal themselves. Harris, who believes horses belong turned out, opened the stall and Molly exited it, putting weight on three legs and using the bad leg for balance. This became her daily routine.
At night after being in the pasture all day, she created a depression in her stall floor and that’s where she slept so she could be more comfortable and push herself up when she wanted to stand. “In three days, she had almost taught herself to walk,” Harris said. “She found ways to rest the bad leg on the drain pipe. This was a very intelligent horse, who figured things out.” After other medical visits, Molly needed surgery to fix the problem on her leg, which was very successful. Since the operation, Molly has enjoyed a charmed life. She regularly visits rehab facilities, especially those with children who have lost limbs, hospitals, and veterans homes, befriending and providing inspiration to others with similar problems.
