Riverside County Shelters Are Packed. This Weekend, You Can Help.

Riverside County animal shelters are at a breaking point, and they're asking the community to step in.

Officials say kennels designed for two dogs are now housing three or four, as more than 1,000 dogs fill the county's shelter system, many of them having waited hundreds of days for a family. Cats are in high demand for homes, too.

To get pets out the door, the county has waived all adoption fees. Every animal goes home already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and tagged, so new owners can focus on the welcome home, not the paperwork.

This Saturday, shelters will stay open until midnight, giving families extra time to come out and meet adoptable pets.

Volunteers have been running playgroups, walks, and field trips to keep animals socialized while they wait, though shelter staff say there's no substitute for a permanent home. The county's RivCo Rise initiative has pushed save rates to 85% for dogs and 76% for cats as of late February, progress officials say they want to build on.

To browse adoptable pets or find your nearest shelter, visit rcdas.org/adopt.