Final answer:
Animals were left behind during Hurricane Katrina due to insufficient evacuation planning and aid, particularly affecting the poorest residents without private transportation. The failure of storm levees exacerbated the situation, leading to widespread flooding and many pets becoming stranded along with their owners.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some animals were left behind during Hurricane Katrina due to the city's inadequately coordinated evacuation efforts, which disproportionately affected the poorest residents, many of whom were African Americans lacking private transportation. The flooding that ensued after the levee failures overwhelmed the city, making emergency services chaotic and ineffective. This situation showcased the economic inequality and racial divisions within New Orleans, as well as the difficulties faced by the Bush administration in providing a timely response to the disaster.
Those who could not evacuate faced significant barriers, such as the lack of public transportation and the immense difficulty in securing assistance from FEMA, an institution led at the time by an appointee with insufficient emergency management experience. These residents, including their pets, were often left without the means to leave the city. In this context of social and institutional breakdown, many animals were left behind as their owners grappled with the challenges of survival and escape. Additionally, the existing storm levees, due to technological shortcomings, were unable to prevent the widespread flooding that trapped people and pets alike.