Lost Pet? RivCo Shelters Just Made It Free To Bring Them Home

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Losing track of your pet in Riverside County just got less stressful — shelters are now waiving all shelter reclaim fees.

In addition, all pets being picked up from shelters by their owners will leave with a free microchip, an engraved identification tag, spay/neuter surgery and age-appropriate vaccinations, the Riverside County Department of Animal Services announced this week.

“We want to help our community get their lost pets back home,” Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said in a news release. “By removing the financial barriers to this process, we can get more pets back to their families where they belong.”

Last year, the department said it took in more than 25,000 lost dogs and cats. Only 12 percent of them were reunited with their families. What's more, the shelter system says 80 percent of lost pets are usually found less than a mile from their home.

The department is required to take in stray animals as a municipal agency, but the shelter system has long faced severe overcrowding.

“We know these pets coming in have families that love them. They are social, healthy, and obviously loved,” said the department's director, Kimberly Youngberg. “By getting them back home with their families, we are not only honoring the human-animal bond, but also moving towards our goal of eliminating unnecessary euthanasia by freeing up resources for the pets that do need us.”

To help ease overcrowding, the shelter is also waiving all adoption fees at shelter locations across the county through May 15.

Adoptable pets will be available at the following times and shelter locations: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Coachella Valley: 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms.
• San Jacinto: 581 S. Grand Ave., San Jacinto.
• Jurupa Valley: 6851 Van Buren Blvd., Jurupa Valley.

Found a lost pet? Here's how you can help, according to Animal Services:

• File a lost or found pet on PetcoLoveLost.org.
• Walk around the neighborhood with the pet and look for its owner.
• Take the pet to a veterinary office to check for a microchip.

Here are some tips from Animal Services to keep your pets secure:

• Keep a collar and visible ID tag.
• Update pet microchips if there is a change in address.
• Register your pet on Petco Love Lost.