WASHOUGAL, Wash. (KOIN) — Saving sick and dying animals has been a lifelong passion for a Washougal woman — and now she’s getting her own TV show on Animal Planet.
Amanda Geise is well known locally for her charity Panda Paws Rescue, which partners with animal shelters to save dogs in some of the most difficult cases imaginable. She calls them “unicorn cases.”
“Amanda to the Rescue” focuses on Geise and her family traveling around the world, revealing some of those unicorn cases.
Many of her rescue dogs are part of her family now — like Garnet, who she rescued from an Oregon puppy mill.
“The puppy mill was trying to hide her in the litter, so she was rescued from that mill with a lot of other animals,” Geise said.
Rescuing special needs animals has been a lifelong passion for Geise since she founded Panda Paws Rescue several years ago.
“We run it out of my home,” she said. “It’s my full-time, 24/7 job and everyone just chips in and helps run this rescue.”
She also works with local shelters, like the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society in Washougal.
“She’s partnered with us to bring up dogs from Northern California, where there is high kill,” she said. “So she’s brought them up for us and we’ve adopted them out.”
The small shelter will also be featured in several episodes of “Amanda to the Rescue.”
“I think it’s really important to show teamwork … what can we all accomplish if we come together with the same mentality to work to save animals,” Geise said.
Geise said she could have never imagined having her own show on Animal Planet, especially airing right after the new show, “Crikey! It’s the Irwins,” featuring “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin’s family.
“Steve Irwin is a hero of mine,” Geise said. “I would never have believed you.”