90% No-Kill Effort Underway At Riverside County Animal Shelters

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Riverside County Department of Animal Services is working toward achieving a 90% no-kill rate across its four shelters. This week, the agency unveiled initiatives aimed at moving it closer to that goal.

On Monday, RCDAS announced that it has partnered with several rescue organizations, resulting in the transport of 48 dogs and 54 cats out of the area that are headed for new opportunities to find forever homes.

The effort included the largest transport of cats this year — the felines traveled to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, according to RCDAS.

The other transport destinations included North Shore Animal League America in New York, Humane Society of North Texas and Brandywine Valley SPCA in Pennsylvania.

"Working with partners is extremely important and opens doors to increase lifesaving," said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. "I’m thankful for partners like Best Friends Animal Society, North Shore Animal League America, Wings of Rescue and Race for Life who continue to show up and help us move closer to our goal of a 90% live release rate."

The transported animals came from all Riverside County shelter locations, as the department faces a critical overcapacity issue, especially available kennel space for dogs.

The overcrowding comes as the Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution last month declaring the county's goal of becoming a "no-kill" jurisdiction for pets. The effort aims to ensure that 90% of animals impounded at county-run facilities leave 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 that temporarily ease space constraints at shelters, and expedited "trap-neuter- return-to-field" programs for "community cats."

For more information on fee-waived adoptions, visit www.rcdas.org.

"Lifesaving is our daily journey and through hard work and teamwork, we will continue to blaze trails and help more pets in Riverside County," said Jackie Schart, RCDAS deputy director of programs and operations. "All the early mornings and late nights are so worth it for us to help homeless pets begin a new chapter."

"I commend the shelter staff for their dedication to RivCo pets, and I’m grateful for our strong relationships with lifesaving partners," said Fifth District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez. "We need the community to join in our efforts of helping pets find homes by fostering or adopting an amazing animal who is looking for their new start."

Community members can help pets in future transports through a short-term foster program called "Ticket to Ride," where they can foster a pet scheduled to leave the shelter to another location.

This new program offers potential foster families a clear timeline and helps create crucial kennel space for the animals that continue to come into the RCDAS shelter system, according to RCDAS.

To sign up to foster a pet with a Ticket to Ride, visit www.rcdas.org/ticket-ride.

Additionally, a new Riverside County Department of Animal Services fostering program was inaugurated on Tuesday. The agency's new "Dog Day Out" experience offers volunteers and visitors to the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley and the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus the opportunity to take canines on short field trips, with the goal of attracting potential adopters.

The program was inspired by the "FIDO" program at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms.

"Our team is working hard to enhance our foster programs, and we are excited for the community to have more opportunities to take part in lifesaving," RCDAS Manager Candace Falkenstien said. "We have so many dogs who need time outside of their kennels, and with the public's help, we can get more dogs into loving homes and save lives."

Residents can sign up to participate in Dog Day Out at https://rcdas.org/dog-day-out.

"It's always nice to see how dogs open up when they're in a different environment," agency pet counselor Annie Caldon said. "Shelter dogs just need a chance to show off their personalities, and what we learn about them on these trips will help us match them with a great family."

There are currently close to 1,200 pets impounded in the county's four shelters — and the overwhelming majority of those are dogs.

"Shelters are operating in critical over-capacity with the number of dogs in kennels, many of them sharing a space with two, three, four or more kennel mates," according to a county statement. "While staff and volunteers provide time for dogs outside of their kennels, there remains a need for dogs to take a break from the shelter to reduce stress."

The county's heightened efforts to improve conditions for impounded animals follow criticism of high kill rates. In September, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors hired Austin, Texas-based Outcomes for Pets LLC Principal Adviser Kristen Hassen to rectify problems within the agency.

In February, the supervisors approved the Executive Office's selection of Mary Martin to head RCDAS following a nationwide executive recruitment drive. She most recently served as assistant director for Dallas Animal Services of Texas.