How You Can Help Overloaded Shelters In Riverside County: 1,300 Dogs, Cats Need Homes Now

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — This week, Luna found her forever home. The dog who "stole the spotlight" during her visit to the Board of Supervisors' meeting in May stole some hearts, according to the Department of Animal Services.

"We're thrilled to share that Luna found her forever family and is thriving in her new home," Department of Animal Services Director Mary Martin announced this week. "She's a quick learner, especially when there are treats involved, is full of personality, and always ready to spread love to everyone she meets. Her family couldn't be happier."

Still, there are hundreds of Dogs, like Luna, in the care of the county's animal shelters, currently "overflowing with dogs and cats in need of homes," according to the department.

With capacity constraints pushed to the limit, the Animal Services is renewing its call for residents to consider adopting or fostering impounded pets.

"Shelters across the entire country are at a breaking point, and Riverside County is no exception," Martin said. "This crisis isn't just about numbers; it's about lives, and the limits of a system stretched too thin. We're doing more so the community can help -- waiving fees, increasing transparency and expanding support. We can't do it alone, and we need more people willing to open their homes today."

There are roughly 1,300 felines and canines -- mostly the latter -- in the county's four shelters. Some are lost, some were turned in by people unable to care for them. All of them need homes.

The figure has been consistent for the past month, leaving virtually no space for animals that may need extra room due to special needs, according to officials.

"Shelter overcrowding means some animals are at-risk of euthanasia simply due to lack of space and the inability to properly care for that number of animals," the agency stated. "Animals immediately at-risk of euthanasia that need rescue can be seen on the department's at-risk web portal: https://rcdas.org/list-animals-need-rescue."

Officials are placing a greater emphasis on fostering to move pets more quickly out of cages and into environments where they can thrive, thereby increasing the prospects of adoption. Fostering involves taking a dog or cat home for temporary or indefinite periods -- without any obligation to formally adopt.

All fostered pets receive free veterinary services through the county, and all adoption fees are currently waived for individuals who decide to make their foster friends permanent additions to their homes.

The shelter experiencing the gravest over-capacity condition, the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley, will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday to encourage visits. The facility typically closes by 4 p.m. on weekends.

In May, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution declaring the county's goal of becoming a "no-kill" jurisdiction for pets, aiming to ensure that 90% of animals impounded at county-run facilities are released alive.

The measure, among other things, contains a pledge that the county will "work collaboratively with public and private partners, animal welfare organizations, veterinary professionals, contract cities and residents ... to reduce euthanasia."

The 90% no-kill goal entails greater emphasis on free or low-cost spay and neuter clinics, enhanced "return-to-owner" programs that unite lost pets with their loved ones, adoption campaigns, pet fostering programs and expedited "trap-neuter-return-to-field" programs for "community cats."

More information about fosters and adoptions at the Blythe Animal Shelter, San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, Thousand Palms Animal Campus and the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley is available rcdas.org.