By Robert Green

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 22 (Reuters) - Two dogs that survived Hurricane Katrina and were adopted in Florida will be returned to their Louisiana owners under an out-of-court settlement announced on Tuesday.

But the Floridians who adopted the animals will get visitation rights as part of the deal, which averted a scheduled July trial in St. Petersburg.

Master Tank, a St. Bernard, and Nila, a shepherd mix, were owned by Steve and Doreen Couture of St. Bernard's Parish in Louisiana. Katrina destroyed the Coutures' home in 2005 and they had to leave the dogs at a shelter. When they returned, they found the dogs had been taken to Florida and adopted separately.

Pam Bondi of Tampa, who adopted Master Tank, and Rhonda Rineker of Dunedin, who adopted Nila, refused to return them, so the Coutures sued.

Bondi said at a news conference on Tuesday that after getting to know the Coutures, she and Rineker had agreed to return the dogs.

"Master Tank will be going back to Louisiana," said Bondi, a state prosecutor. "It's breaking my heart, but I will get to visit him."

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