In 2016, it rained hard for two days straight. By the third day, the skies refused to stop spewing forth water and massive flooding — what folks would later call the thousand-year flood — occurred throughout South Louisiana, inundating thousands of home and forcing rescues of scores of people.
And then there were the animals.
Kaleb and his father didn’t experience flooding in their home but they knew neighbors might be fighting floodwaters. As they drove around to offer help, they spotted a one-month-old calf stuck in mud and dirty water. They rescued the distressed animal and covered him in a towel, then brought him to an animal shelter that had been opened for the disaster.
Kaleb called him Poncho in a nod to the towel covering the calf “because a poncho protects you from both the rain and the sun.”
The heartwarming story of Poncho’s rescue and recovery makes up Julie M. Thomas’ children’s book “Poncho’s Rescue: A Baby Bull and a Big Flood,” published by LSU Press. The story follows a family in 2016 when the rains came in torrents, then their rescue of Poncho, his rehabilitation through the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine volunteers, staff and doctors and his happy life after recovery. It's a sweet tale that's sure to please children of all ages.
Thomas is the former public relations coordinator at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. A native of Haughton, she has a master’s degree in mass communications from LSU.
Thomas reads from and signs copies of “Poncho’s Rescue” at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, at Conundrum Books in St. Francisville.
Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.
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