New Incentives Available for Riverside County’s Fifth District Pet Foster Caregivers
January 29, 2025
San Jacinto, CA – January 29, 2025– Residents of the Fifth District who foster a cat or dog from Riverside county’s San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus will now receive financial stipends, thanks to the D5 Furry Pets Foster Care program. With the county’s San Jacinto shelter regularly at or above capacity, this new foster program aims to increase lifesaving by housing more pets in loving foster homes while they wait for their permanent homes.
"As a proud rescue dog owner, I want nothing more than to ensure the proper care of our pets,” said Fifth District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez. “They are our family, and they deserve the comfort of a loving home. That's why I'm so excited to launch our new D5 Furry Pets Foster Care program, where we can work together with our residents to get these pets into homes!"
Eligible residents must be 18 years or older, have a valid driver’s license and reside in the Fifth District. For a limited time while available funding lasts, participants will receive a stipend of $25 per night for fostering a pet in need. Foster caregivers receive up to $50 per night if they foster a pair of dogs or cats, or if they take in a litter of puppies or kittens.
Program participants will be allowed to foster a pet for up to 21 days and will be invited to help their foster pets find adoptive homes. This includes actions like posting information on social media or talking to friends interested in adoption. If they get the pet adopted in two weeks or less, foster caregivers will receive a $150 bonus. To participate in the D5 Furry Pets Foster Care Program, foster caregivers will choose a pet from the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, complete the sign-up process, and participate in a brief foster orientation.
Supervisor Gutierrez noted the impact this new program is expected to have on the community and shelter system. “Riverside County Department of Animal Services takes in tens of thousands of wonderful pets each year. To find them all homes, we need to engage even more people in our communities. I’m proud of our pet-loving community in D5, and I hope this program makes it possible for caring people to be part of solving pet homelessness.”
For more information about the D5 Furry Pets Foster Care program, please visit
https://rcdas.org/furry-pets or contact the Office of County Supervisor Gutierrez at (951) 955-1050 or [email protected].