'Scott Black, 37, and Julia Cohen-Black, 35, thought they could ride out the storm at the Audubon Veterinary Hospital in New Orleans where he worked as a kennel manager. But as the storm raged, they realized how bad it would get. They piled into the veterinarian's car and there was only room for one dog – the veterinarian's golden retriever. Their pit bulls were left behind with more than a dozen other animals.

"I never would have left if I thought I wouldn't be back," said Cohen-Black, heaving with deep sobs. "Those are my babies. I raised them from the time they were 5 weeks old."

She, her husband and her mother drove five hours to get to the shelter and spent two more peering into every dog cage. Neither Zoey nor Griffen was there.

The couple are living with friends in Florida. They said they would return again and again until they found their pets. After that, they will plan out their future.

"We are trying to figure out where to move, but it certainly won't be New Orleans," Black said, trying to catch his wife's eye. "We are hoping this will be an opportunity for something new."

She didn't notice.

"The dogs are all I care about," she sobbed.'