Riverside County Animal Services Shares Strong Progress in Early 2025

Riverside, CA – Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) is sharing encouraging progress from the first part of 2025, with measurable gains in lifesaving, pet reunification, and adoption outcomes. These improvements in the Year-to-Date Highlights show the early impact of targeted, ongoing operational changes implemented in collaboration with Riverside County, Outcomes Consulting Group, RCDAS staff, volunteers, and community partners.

Positive Outcomes So Far This Year:

• Live release rate increased to 80.9%, up from 72% during the same period last year
• Euthanasia decreased by 33%, with 540 fewer animals euthanized
• Adoption rate increased to 42%, up from 34% compared to same period last year
• Transfer-out rates rose across both cats and dogs

The department is focused on removing barriers and increasing placement opportunities for animals through multiple ongoing operational improvements.

Key Operational Improvements:

• Expanded public access by opening shelters on Sundays and extending hours on Wednesdays, making it easier for families to adopt or reclaim pets
• Waived Return-to-Owner fees to remove financial barriers and help more lost pets return home
• Increased the frequency of fee-waived adoption events, leading to faster placements and reduced length of stay
• Completed cross-country pet transfer flights and enhanced partner rescue outreach, creating more adoption opportunities in partner regions and reducing local overcrowding
• Enhanced marketing and visibility for adoptable animals through improved photography, promotion, and outreach

Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez, Fifth District Supervisor and Ad-Hoc Committee Member added: "There’s still much work to be done, but this is exactly the kind of forward movement we want to see. These results reflect the deep commitment of our shelter staff and the importance of removing barriers for pet owners across Riverside County."

Mary Martin, RCDAS Director: “These results are a testament to the hard work of our staff and the strength of our community partnerships,” Martin said. “The team made real progress in just a few months, and we are committed to continuing this momentum to save more lives.”

While the early numbers are promising, RCDAS leadership acknowledges that many challenges remain—from over-capacity shelters to ongoing staffing and veterinary shortages. The department remains focused on long-term improvements that will help ensure more pets find homes, more families stay together, and more lives are saved in the months ahead.

For more information, visit www.rcdas.org/positive-change.