Animal Samaritans in the Forefront of Saving Animals

Animal Samaritans employees were honored with a Congressional Recognition Certificate by Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack for their efforts in rescuing, saving and arranging adoption of hundreds of animals. Dedication included long drives to Sacramento in animal transport van to deliver rescues, LAX for shipping to Canada and arrangements with Canadian officials for pet immigration papers.
For over thirty years, Animal Samaritans has been quietly working behind the scenes making every effort to save the lives of dogs and cats in the Coachella Valley. It all started from an idea of former Desert Sands Unified School District teacher Barbara Flanagan who is still an active member of the Animal Samaritans Board of Directors.
At first, it was about education, adoptions, securing donations for feeding abandoned animals, rescue and finding facilities for spay and neuter. Over the years it evolved into a full fledged non-profit animal clinic which was ultimately swamped with clients seeking affordable health care for their pets. Last year, a state of the art clinic resembling a hospital dedicated to animal care was opened next to the County Animal Shelter in Thousand Palms. The old clinic on Ramon Road in Thousand Palms has been refurbished to serve as the Animal Samaritans Corporate Offices and will continue to be the No Kill-Animal Shelter so many locals have become familiar with. With four full time vets working at the new clinic, every effort is made to keep prices as low as possible and still remain solvent.
Animal Samaritans has now extended itself beyond the Coachella Valley borders and opened up new adoption territories to save Coachella Valley dogs and cats who end up at the County Animal Shelter from the necessity of euthanasia due to no place to house them.
During these times of economic crisis, hundreds of animals per week ...