Annie entered the Coachella Valley Animal Campus as a hard-luck case. A Good Samaritan brought the 3-month-old dog into the shelter on Sept. 10 after finding her on the side of the road. She apparently was hit by a car and was in horrible shape.
Normally, a stray dog in such condition might be euthanized because of the extent of her injuries. But a new desert charity foundation, KASE (Keeping Animals Safe Everyday), wants to help these types of dogs. The nonprofit organization is headed by Sam and Karen Esposito.
Annie, now 6 months old, underwent several surgeries at the VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital. One of the surgeries dealt with a diaphragmatic hernia. The surgeries would have cost anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000, Karen Esposito said. But because the Espositos have a relationship with VCA Rancho Mirage with their own pets, and because KASE is a nonprofit charitable organization, the hospital performed the surgeries at a much discounted rate.
On Thursday (Nov. 19th), a Yucaipa woman, Regina Dorman, officially adopted her from the Coachella Valley Animal Campus.
"The Espositos clearly care about animals and have proved it once
again," Animal Services Director Robert Miller said. "We're lucky to call them
our friends. But the hard-luck animals we get into our Thousand Palms shelter
are even luckier, thanks to this wonderful couple's generosity."
