DES MOINES - A rescue effort was launched Friday to save about 50 pigs stranded on a levee near Oakville where the Iowa River raged out of its banks.

About two dozen volunteers from four animal welfare agencies were attempting to reach the animals with feed, apples and Gatorade, said Colleen Cullen, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts-based International Fund for Animal Welfare.

That group, the American Humane Association, Farm Sanctuary and the Animal Rescue League of Boston had been working in Illinois to help care for abandoned animals. They kept a small staff in Illinois and sent the volunteers to Iowa to help with the pig rescue.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture confirmed that it asked the volunteer groups to step in and help rescue the pigs.

Cullen said volunteers expected the animals to be in rough shape after enduring days without food. State agriculture officials flew over the area a few days ago and counted 54 live pigs, she said.

Getting to the levee was complicated by the receding river waters, which left large patches of muddy terrain to negotiate. The volunteers had to carry boats weighted down with food and supplies over the dry ground to deeper water.

"We're really facing some challenges today," Cullen said.

Cullen said the immediate goal is to herd the pigs off the levee to a secure area. The state has relinquished ownership of the pigs and they will be either placed with supporters of the Farm Sanctuary or taken to the organization's home facility in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

"If we're able to get them off the levee they will be ensured to live full lives in the Farm Sanctuary," she said.

Last week officials in Des Moines County shot about a dozen pigs that had taken refuge from the floodwater on top of a sandbag levee near Kingston. Officials worried their hooves would poke holes in the bags and cause a levee breach.

Iowa Department of Agriculture spokesman Dustin VandeHoef said those pigs were dealt with in an emergency situation when it was determined there was a risk to damaging the levee. The pigs currently being rescued do not appear to be causing damage.

"We're trying to save as many as we can but the main things is we're trying to prevent more flooding," VandeHoef said.

He said a state veterinarian is coordinating with the rescue groups and will certify the health of the pigs so they may be transported out of state.

An additional animal emergency has developed in Cedar Rapids, where a temporary emergency animal shelter is housing nearly 700 pets, including horses, which were left behind as their owners fled flooding.

California-based United Animal Nations is providing volunteers to care for the animals at the shelter, which is operated by Cedar Rapids Animal Control.

Pet owners have until July 1 to claim their pets or they will be adopted out, said Susan Roth, a spokeswoman for UAN. Owners without immediate accommodations for their pets may still claim their animals and leave them temporarily housed at the shelter until July 30.

At its peak, the shelter had 880 animals. The group said the emergency situation involving abandoned pets was nearly as severe as the situation they experienced in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.