'Overlooked' RivCo Dog Travels To Michigan To Find Forever Home

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — Conrad, a plucky German Shephard mix boarded a plane to Michigan this week to find his forever home after being overlooked in a Riverside County animal shelter since last year.

The 4-year-old mix is one of adoptable 27 dogs that are on their way across the country for a fresh start, Riverside County officials said.

Conrad was brought into the Coachella Valley Animal Campus as a stray in December last year. Throughout that time, he attended free adoption events at the Riverside County Fair and PetSmart — but no one stepped up to take him home, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Thanks to funding from the BISSELL Pet Foundation, the department says Conrad and 26 other dogs will now have another shot at finding a permanent home.

Shelters all over the country and locally are experiencing overcrowding. The foundation's program helps extend the timeline for dogs who haven't met the right family yet.

"Addressing the large dog overpopulation in our community is critical, and I'm grateful to Cathy at BISSELL and the whole foundation for their support and willingness to help," said Mary Martin, the county's animal services director.

Dogs that boarded the "lifesaving" flight this week included pups that came from shelters all over the county, animal officials said.

Last year, 6,262 cats and dogs were transferred from Riverside County shelters to partners across the country and Canada. The county says this program is critical to help reduce overcrowding in local shelters, "where on average an animal enters the doors every seven minutes."

The Department of Animal Services houses more than 35,000 animals annually across its four shelters. It is one of the largest shelter systems in the nation.

“Every animal in our community has a unique story, and I’m proud the RivCo team makes the effort to get deserving dogs adopted,” said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “We will continue to prioritize working with trusted rescue partners and the community to help reduce the number of dogs in our kennels.”