El Paso, TX (KFOX14/CBS4) — Car enthusiasts and animal lovers came together in El Paso for Cars and Canines, an event that pairs high-end vehicles with adoptable dogs in an effort to help local shelters find pets new homes.
Gia Soleil Espinosa, Miss Earth USA and an El Paso native, said Cars and Canines was started four years ago by her and co-founder Mia Molina. Sadly, Molina died in September after a murder-suicide incident.
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Fashion model Mia Molina (and co-founder of Cars and Canines) tragically killed in a shooting in September. (KFOX/CBS4)
“Cars and canines was started four years ago by my co-founder, Mia Molina, and me. She tragically passed away in September,” Espinosa said. “But we combine an event that’s meant for car enthusiasts and animal lovers to come and just see you’ve got a little bit of everything.”
The event allows attendees to bring their own dogs and also features adoptable dogs brought by multiple shelters.
“Yep, 100%. So you’re able to bring your dogs as well. But we also have multiple shelters that come to support and bring out their adoptable dogs so we can hopefully find them homes,” Espinosa said.
Espinosa said continuing the event without Molina has been difficult, but she wants to keep it going in her co-founder’s honor.
“It’s been incredibly difficult just because I’m used to having my other half like my partner in crime helped me with it,” Espinosa said. “But being able to still keep it alive in her name, in her honor and continue that legacy is really such an honor. She put so much of her heart and passion into it. So I want to keep it alive, not only for me and for what we do, but for her, because her story ended too short.”
Espinosa, who said she was born and raised in El Paso, is preparing to represent the United States internationally in October. She said she was awarded the opportunity to represent Texas USA and won USA, after representing New Mexico last year.
Gia Soleil Espinosa aka Miss Earth USA hosted Cars and Canines by herself for the first time since her co-founder and best friend tragically passed away in September. (KFOX/CBS4)
“I will be heading to internationals in October to either the Philippines, Thailand, or Vietnam to represent the USA and El Paso as well,” Espinosa said.
She said Cars and Canines plans additional events this year, including a larger summer event.
“So super excited. We are going to be having one, we’re hoping in June and June, July. So that’ll be our summer one,” Espinosa said. “We’re hoping to make it a bit bigger … hoping to get more people involved and get local businesses involved. Being from El Paso, I believe in giving back to the community and getting them involved as well.”
Espinosa encouraged local businesses to participate in future events.
“Thank you. I’m super excited about any businesses. I want to get involved. We’re honored to have them here,” she said.
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