Contact: Tom Snyder
760.601.3756
tsnyder@animalsamaritans.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Animal Samaritans Approaches 5,000 Rescues
Thousand Palms, CA – March 14, 2014: Before the Easter bunny hits the bunny trails and the kids come
home for Spring Break, Animal Samaritans’ Adoption Alliance Program will reach an animal rescue
milestone: 5,000 animals saved in less than 3 years. Animal Samaritans, in partnership with Riverside
County Animal Services (RCAS), rescues more than 150 dogs and cats every month.
Animal Samaritans’ private no-kill animal shelter has been rescuing animals from RCAS into its private
shelter for decades, but through the Adoption Alliance program they also rescue animals and place them
with more than 130 animal rescue groups and fellow no-kill animal shelters throughout the U.S. and
Canada. What’s more, the organization provides veterinary services, in some cases surgery, to adoptable
animals that need medical attention before being ready for a safe haven and adoption.
In addition to its primary partner, RCAS, Animal Samaritans works locally to rescue animals with Animal
Action League, Humane Society of the Desert, Living Free Animal Sanctuary, Loving All Animals,
Morongo Basis Humane Society, Pet Place International, Save-A-Pet, and White Rock Horse Rescue.
What will with the 5,000th rescue be? A terrier or a toy poodle? A Pekinese or pug? A black lab or golden
retriever? Maybe it will be a cat, an orange tabby or tri-colored calico. Maybe it will be a mini-horse or
someone’s abandoned rabbit. Which rescue partner will take it in? Will they be local or out-of-state?
Whatever the case, the Adoption Alliances’ 5,000th rescued animal will go to a no-kill animal shelter or pet
rescue group that will keep it safe and work to adopt it into a new home.
“This milestone, to be reached so fast, illustrates fantastic work on the part of our next-door
neighbor, Animal Samaritans,” said Robert Miller, Director of Riverside County Animal Services.
“Animal Samaritans should be proud of this accomplishment – and we’re pleased that our
homeless pets from the Coachella Valley Animal Campus reap the rewards of all their hard work.
They’re now in loving homes.”
Animal Samaritans Adoption Alliance Rescue Coordinator Michelle Bergeron and part-time rescuer
Jennifer Uberti work in tandem with staff from RCAS to access, test, and pull animals for rescue. Both
organizations share a common goal: to reduce animal euthanasia rates and save more lives.
“Five thousand discarded animals have been saved through the Adoption Alliance, and we can and will
save more,” said Animal Samaritans’ Executive Director Fred Saunders. “The Adoption Alliance program
needs your help in saving animals with donations, and volunteer assistance, including pet fostering, and
pet transporters--Highway Heroes as we call them--to continue in the future.”
Animal Samaritans relies on charitable contributions to underwrite its many community outreach
programs, such as Humane Education in our local schools, emergency veterinary care for low-income
seniors, and the feeding and care for animals at their own no-kill animal shelter. Animal Samaritans is
currently seeking donations earmarked for The Adoption Alliance to ensure the program continues to
thrive and thousands more animals will be saved.
Animal Samaritans SPCA, a 501 (c) non-profit organization founded in 1978, is committed to improving
the lives of animals and people. As the Coachella Valley’s most comprehensive animal welfare
organization, they strive to one day eliminate the needless suffering and abuse of homeless and unwanted
animals. Programs and services in place to save the lives of healthy and treatable animals include
prevention through humane education, affordable spay and neuter, vaccinations, and other veterinary
care, animal sheltering, animal rescue, pet fostering and pet adoptions. In addition, more than one
hundred volunteers from their Pet Therapy programs visit special needs classrooms, nursing homes, local
hospitals, and residents at Juvenile Hall. More information is available by calling 760.601.3756 and by
visiting www.animalsamaritans.org ###