Athletes extend a hand to homeless animals

Through the years at FIU, Panthers women’s basketball coach Cindy Russo’s teams have been known for playing tenacious defense. Sometimes the Panthers have employed a full court trap to prevent an opponent from reaching the basket in a last minute effort to save a victory.

At some point before the Nov. 12 season opener at Baylor, Russo will call for a full court trap again only this time it will be to rescue an abandoned dog the team found in the preserve near U.S. Century Bank Arena.

Russo and her friend, Deborah Jeans, an animal expert, are going to try to trap the dog with a special cage built by Jeans.

“The goal is getting Sasha into a good home,” Russo said. “We want to check her out and make sure she’s healthy.”

One year ago Russo saw a golden brown dog sunning just outside the preserve as her team was headed to practice at the FIU recreational center.

Back then the dog was very skinny and in need of nourishment so the FIU women’s basketball team took to caring for the dog. Eventually, the chow and golden retriever mix was named “Sasha” by FIU sophomore forward Finda Mansare and junior guard Rakia Rodgers, who were inspired by a Beyonce song.

Since then Mansare has been an integral part in caring for Sasha.

“I feel sorry for her, because she is alone all the time,” Mansare said. “I was wondering how she survives.”

Sasha is about four years old and last June had a batch of puppies – two of which were adopted by assistant women’s basketball coach Inge Nissen and another by an FIU professor.

Eventually, the two puppies, Abby and Anabelle, that survived were treated by Dr. Ted Sanchez at Silver Bluff Animal Clinic in Coconut Grove. Abby had parasites when Dr. Sanchez first treated her, but she is now cured.

The caring for Sasha continues to this day and not just by Russo and the FIU women’s basketball team. Several people at FIU have left lunches, dog food and even cat food at the edge of the preserve for Sasha.

“Sasha still does not trust the team or me,” Russo said. “But she is getting better with that. She’s slowly learning that we’re trying to help her.”

–Pete Pelegrin