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Father-son duo rescues horses tied up in Harvey floodwaters

“The cop told us we weren’t allowed to get them out because the people wanted to leave them there, but we didn’t think it was right to leave the horses."

Donnie Schubert’s family is one of the lucky ones. Hurricane Harvey spared their Houston-area home. They’re high and dry, but their generosity is making waves in the Huffman, Tex. community where they live—and far beyond.

It started Monday when Donnie’s son Chase went out with some friends to see how they could help. It didn’t take them long to find dozens of horses in dire need. The water was chest deep in some spots.

“We saw probably about 30 horses back in there,” Chase described in a Skype interview with WUSA9's Bruce Johnson. Bruce had heard about their heroic efforts through a Facebook post.

TEXAS CARES: Donate to help Hurricane Harvey victims

Despite police telling them to leave the horses alone, Chase and his friends got to work.

“The cop told us we weren’t allowed to get them out because the people wanted to leave them there, but we didn’t think it was right to leave the horses out there by themselves,” he said.

Each of his friends grabbed a horse, and one-by-one they walked them three miles down a flooded road to safety. A nearby church set up pens and stables to house the animals.

Donnie said one of the ponies was barely hanging on.

“Just its muzzle was barely out of the water, just trying to stay alive,” Donnie recalled, pointing out the photo of him walking the little guy to dry ground. “The horse was so weak, he couldn’t hardly stand up once he got out to the street. These guys were in dire need of rescue.”

Among their other rescues—a dog who was chained up, a goat on a tracker, chickens stuck in a pen, and several rabbits.

PHOTOS: People and their pets during Houston flooding

“It was a pretty tiring day for us thank god for these boys taking the initiative and getting them out,” Donnie said.

But they weren’t done making a difference just yet. The next day, Donnie fired up his new ski boat.

“Wife wasn’t too keen about it,” he said laughing, but they hit the streets anyway. Literally. He followed the yellow line down the main street between Huffman and Dayton and came across several people in need of rescue.

They went as far as they could down the road—about four miles—before they hit ground. They made sure no one in need along that entire stretch was left behind.

Donnie and Chase weren’t the only ones out there. They saw several other people in boats and big trucks, trying to lend a helping hand anyway they can.

“Whatever they could do to help people, they did, and I don’t think you could ask anymore from the community than that,” Chase said.

“Everybody in the community pulled together in a time of need like this, it’s incredible,” Donnie added.

RELATED: Locals prepare to take in storm ravaged pets

Even when they’re not out on the water, the Schubert family continues to give—offering their home to loved ones who were displaced, and food, gas, water, generators, whatever is needed to those who are looking for help.

Donnie’s employer, Twin Eagle, has set up a fundraising website to help those in the community. They’re hoping to raise $200,000. You can contribute by clicking here.

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