Two Charities Combine To Help Strays

Newt came to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus from the parking lot of the Westfield Palm Desert mall with an old broken leg that had to be amuptated.

"Sadly, that made the injury unfixable. Newt lost one rear leg but he has never skipped a beat," said John Welsh of the Riverside County Department of Animal Services

At only four pounds, Newt is very fragile and needs to have total crate rest for now, Welsh said.

He added that a foster volunteer through KASE -- Keeping Animals Safe Everyday -- keeps him in a pouch and takes him wherever she goes.

"He loves it," Welsh said.

Injured animals like Newt will now have double the dose of help thanks to a merger by two Coachella Valley chartiies -- KASE and Friends of the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, which will soon dissolve.

“KASE’s efforts have helped our most desperate animals,” Riverside County Animal Services Director Robert Miller said. “We’re humbled by this small organization’s drive to assist these hurt strays.”

He said the merger will help out animals even more.

"The county is very thrilled that the Friends group and KASE are joining forces with us to make great things happen for the Coachella Valley Animal Campus," Miller said. "We’re looking forward to these forces joining in helping our special-needs cases.”

Friends of the Coachella Valley Animal Campus has provided several improvements to the Thousand Palms facility, including footing the bill to provide dog runs and automatic water faucets. The Friends group also donated money to build an equine, corral cover, according to Welsh.

Through its fundraising efforts, the group also spent $22,000 for six months of food for animals at the Thousand Palms-based shelter.

KASE provides help for injured animals who need surgery, and helps the pets find a home.

“This gives KASE the ability to take on a long life, to become a very long-term and solid foundation,” said Karen Esposito, a founder and chairwoman of KASE. “Now we have this strength. This creates such a powerful force for the sake of these animals.”