They have come across terrified mongrels, such as a pit bull that nearly strangled itself on a leash before collapsing with exhaustion.
"They are scared, they are hungry, they are tired," said Kerry Branon of the International Federation for Animal Welfare.
The address where an animal is found is noted, in case it can be reunited with the owner.
But most of the rescued animals are still waiting in a huge agricultural exhibition hall at Gonzales, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from New Orleans. There are already about 1,300 dogs, cats, rabbits, parrots and more.
"About 400 get here every evening. Only about 20 people a day find their pets here," said Laura Maloney, executive director of the Louisiana Society for the Protection of Animals (SPCA).
Exhausted human refugees tour the building. Some carry photos of their lost animals; some have put up signs offering a reward for their pets.
Summer Johannesson, a 23-year-old fashion student from Florida, and some friends came to volunteer at the shelter after the killer storm. She accompanied a distraught woman who had lost her cat and fell into tears every time she tried to describe it.
A sign warns everyone: "Please be cautious next to the cages of animals that are not yours. They are stressed and can be defensive."
Dori Mayard, a 42-year-old nurse, brought her dogs to the shelter. She managed to get them out of New Orleans before her house was flooded but cannot keep them in the two room apartment where she is now staying with nine relatives.
