Dogs and Cats Abandoned to Wilderness Face Uncertain Futures as Donations to D.E.L.T.A. Rescue Dip

LOS ANGELES, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when millions of Americans are drastically tightening their belts to survive the economic downturn, pleas for charitable donations are increasingly going unanswered. But for one group of lost souls, even the smallest donations can mean the difference between life and death.

They're the animals -- domesticated dogs and cats, primarily -- that have been abandoned to the wilderness, left to their own devices in harsh conditions and unable to fend for themselves. And there's only one organization in the nation dedicated to finding those abandoned pets and nursing them back to health: D.E.L.T.A. Rescue (http://www.deltarescue.org), a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by actor and animal activist Leo Grillo.

The animals' stories are heartbreaking. Coquetta, a small black-and-white dog, gave birth in the desert of southern California, only to watch her entire litter die from exposure. Soon after, she was hit by a car and left for dead, her hip and leg shattered. D.E.L.T.A. Rescue found her and brought her to its 94-acre SuperSanctuary, the largest no-kill, care-for-life sanctuary in the world. There, D.E.L.T.A. veterinarians performed emergency surgery in one of the sanctuary's two hospitals, and the staff provided the care and love Coquetta seemed never to have known. Today Coquetta is almost fully healed and, in spite of her trials, loves to be around people.

Photos:

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2010-Coquetta-Before-Surgery.jpg

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2010-Coquetta-After-Surgery.jpg  

For every Coquetta, however, there are countless other animals struggling to survive in deserts and forests in which they were never meant to live. Grillo and his organization have been rescuing and caring for such animals since he founded D.E.L.T.A. Rescue in 1979, and in the time since, D.E.L.T.A. Rescue has become a first-responder to disasters and massive rescue situations all over the country. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Grillo's organization partnered with Feed The Children to get truckloads of dog and cat food to the animals left behind by families fleeing the hurricane. Disaster response teams have also called on D.E.L.T.A. Rescue during Southern California's devastating wildfires.

But with the nationwide proliferation of smaller animal rescue organizations, Americans are being bombarded with appeals for donations. For D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, that means fewer funds with which to rescue and care for dogs and cats found in the wild.

"D.E.L.T.A. Rescue goes out to where animals are alone and suffering, with absolutely no one else to help them," Grillo explained. "If D.E.L.T.A. Rescue doesn't come for them, nobody will. That's what makes our organization different from virtually every other animal rescue organization out there. It's why our work -- and the continued donations of concerned citizens -- are so vitally necessary."

To learn more about D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, or to make a tax-deductible donation to help the organization continue its work, visit http://www.deltarescue.org or write to D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, P.O. Box 9, Glendale, CA, 91209.

This release was issued through eReleases(TM).  For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE D.E.L.T.A. Rescue