Meet Fritz. This 8-year-old schnauzer landed in animal control, and his people never came and got him. Luckily for Fritz, the good folks at Animal Samaritans took him in.
Fritz is just one of thousands of pets who’ve benefited since the day in 1978 when a group of desert-area citizens, horrified by conditions at the county shelter in Indio, decided to do something about it. Bake sales, car washes and more helped them launch a spay/neuter service and a humane education program, and, when they received a property donation in 1980, they built a clinic.
Fast-forward to today, when Animal Samaritans, a 501 (c) (3) organization with full-service veterinary clinics in Thousand Palms and Indio, and a no-kill shelter in Thousand Palms, serves as the desert region’s largest animal-welfare organization, with a broad range of community support garnered by decades of good work. The Rancho Las Palmas Omni hotel hosts a happy hour benefiting Animal Samaritans; and the Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa installs a cute, adoptable young dog in a puppy pen in its lobby, resulting in one adoption per week on average.
The organization’s reach goes well beyond rescue and adoption. Animal Samaritans provides grant-supported veterinary services, including affordable care for the pets of senior citizens on fixed incomes. Their pet therapy program currently has 80 active volunteers who bring comfort to patients in hospitals, assisted living facilities, and schools across the Coachella Valley. For younger animal lovers, their Critter Camps offer hands-on humane education during school breaks—kids learn about responsible pet ownership while getting plenty of quality time with the animals.
If you’re visiting the Palm Springs area with your dog, Animal Samaritans is worth knowing about for another reason: they run a low-cost vaccination clinic and can help with emergency veterinary needs while you’re traveling. It’s reassuring to know that kind of support is available in the desert, especially if your pup has an unexpected health issue on the road.
Whether you’re looking to adopt, volunteer, donate, or just learn more about their work, you can find out everything at their listing page. If you happen to be staying at one of the partnering resorts, ask about the next yappy hour—your dog gets to socialize, and the proceeds go to a great cause.
Photo: Fritz, Animal Samaritans
