Calexico, Calif. (Border Report) — It was 13 years ago when, out of curiosity, Diana Daniels drove up to a facility where she heard dogs barking.
It turned out to be the Calexico Animal Shelter right on the border in Calexico, California, about 120 miles east of San Diego, and it’s where she’s been going to volunteer once a week ever since.
Daniels said she asked about the dogs and policies for care and adoption, but wasn’t pleased with the answers.
So she decided to do something about it.
She tried to get the City of Calexico to provide more support and volunteers but ended up going at it alone.
“The volunteers lasted about two weeks,” Daniels said. “I’ve been coming every single Saturday for about 13 years.”
Daniels visits the shelter with one goal in mind.
“I donate all my time in order to make these guys appealing to the public,” she says. “I take pictures, videos … I post them on Facebook and Instagram and my point is to get them adopted out, whether it’s seen by the public or other rescues, it doesn’t matter who sees them.”
Daniels told Border Report if any person or animal rescue organization shows interest but can’t come to Calexico to pick up the dog, she’ll drive the animal to them.
“I’ve gone as far as Seattle, to Portland, Ramona, San Diego, even L.A.”
Daniels says she’s helped about 3,000 dogs find good homes since she started helping out.
“Without taking pictures, videos and sharing them on social media, it’s impossible to get them out of here to better locations. … If I don’t help them, they will be euthanized.”
Daniels also helps rescue dogs from the Imperial County Shelter and animals that might wander in from Mexico through the nearby border barrier.
“I would say we’re 100 yards away from the Mexican border,” she says. “These animals go back and forth, so we don’t know if they’re U.S. animals if they’re Mexican animals, we don’t know, but I don’t care.”
Daniels mentioned other organizations that have been very helpful to her over the years including:
- Del Mar Dog Rescue
- Paws 4 Thought
- Barking Lot Rescue
- Thrive Animal Rescue
- Spot Rescue
- Rescue Fenix
She also said she would welcome people who want to help her dog rescue efforts.
They can log onto calexicoborderpaws.org.
Daniels would also be grateful to anyone who wants to make a financial contribution via her GoFundMe page.
