Teacher who started GoFundMe for baby horse rescued in Fremont speaks out

FOSTER CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- For the past two days, ABC7 News viewers have joined the conversation on Twitter and Facebook about a foal that was rescued on Valentine's Day from the bottom of an East Bay ravine. The baby horse's story has touched thousands of people and illuminated heroes.

PHOTOS: Baby horse rescued from ravine in Fremont

We do not yet know who owns the foal, but on Wednesday we met another of the hundreds who helped him.

Brewer Island Elementary School in Foster City is the last place we might expect to begin a horse story. But social media has a way of bringing people together.

"As soon as I saw the story I was just really moved by it," said Lisa Dellapietra.

The elementary school teacher saw the same story as many of you on Monday about a 6-day old foal rescued him from a creek at the bottom of a ravine in Fremont's Morrison Canyon. It had been there, shivering, for two days and nights with a broken hip.

"The vet was surprised he survived at all," said Sarah Cattaneo with Fremont Animal Services. It began two nights pretty much without sleep as she nursed Valentine while hoping to raise thousands of dollars for medical care.

In the meantime, across the bay in San Mateo County, Dellapietra set up a GoFundMe account that raised nearly $16,000.

With that money, Cattaneo took Valentine to the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital on Tuesday. She expected the foal to need emergency surgery. But after an x-ray and a CT scan, they got good news.

No surgery is needed, but there are still big bills just the same. And they have the money to pay for it.

In the meantime, Fremont police continue searching for Valentine's owner in and around Morrison Canyon. They do not suspect foul play. That owner has until Monday to claim him and might still get stuck with the bills when identified.

"If we can find the mother of this horse that really helps us," said one person.

If no one steps forward, Valentine becomes the property of Fremont, which will then find him a home. And they already have plenty of offers, plus a benefactor.

"It has restored my faith in humanity," said Dellapietra.

Click here to donate to Valentine's GoFundMe page.

And click here for more stories and videos about animal rescues.