Five years ago, shortly after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast, teams of rescuers boated, waded and walked through the streets of New Orleans searching for pets that had been left behind in the rush to evacuate. Dozens of volunteers from Washington-based Pasado’s Safe Haven saw the devastation of the category three storm firsthand as they collected hungry, dehydrated and injured pets from homes and backyards in the abandoned city.

140 miles away in Delcambre, La., a similarly devastating scenario unfolded after Hurricane Rita sent floodwaters through the small town, drowning some 30,000 cattle, destroying fields of sugar cane and other crops while uprooting homes and their inhabitants. Local veterinarian Dr. Eric White led his own rescue effort, sending a truck full of abandoned pets back to Waterloo, N.Y. with volunteers from the Beverly Animal Shelter for eventual adoption.

I met up with both groups in 2005, a few weeks after the storms hit, to document their efforts.

I’m thrilled to be launching the new LAURENLONG.COM where I’ll be sharing with you my vision through the lens. The heart and soul of what I do begins with photojournalism and transitions naturally to my love for photographing weddings and families. So please take a look around, enjoy, and stop back again soon as I continue to post current work!