Riverside County Department of Animal Services Waives Pet Reclaim Fees

Riverside, CA – May 6, 2025–Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) will begin waiving reclaim fees for lost dogs and cats. In addition, all reclaimed pets will receive a free microchip and a visible, engraved ID tag at all shelter locations. 

In 2024, RCDAS took in more than 25,000 stray dogs and cats, but only 12% of those pets were reunited with their families. Eighty percent of lost pets are found less than a mile from their home.

“We want to help our community get their lost pets back home,” said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, who serves as an Animal Services Ad-Hoc Committee member. “By removing the financial barriers to this process, we can get more pets back to their families where they belong.”

As a municipal agency, RCDAS is required to take in stray animals. In the face of severe overcrowding, RCDAS is implementing national best practices to address such issues while increasing the number of animals leaving the shelter alive. 

“We know these pets coming in have families that love them.  They are social, healthy, and obviously loved,” said RCDAS Assistant Director Dr. Kimberly Youngberg. “By getting them back home with their families, we are not only honoring the human-animal bond, but also moving towards our goal of eliminating unnecessary euthanasia by freeing up resources for the pets that do need us.”

In addition to waived reclaim fees, reunited pets will now also receive free services prior to leaving the shelter, including a spay/neuter surgery, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccinations.

Community members who find lost pets can also be part of the lifesaving solution and help pets get back home by:

• Filing a lost or found pet report on PetcoLoveLost.org to help friendly, healthy strays find their way back home.  Petco Love Lost uses facial recognition to match lost and found reports and put owners and finders in contact with each other.
• Walking the neighborhood, with the found pet looking for its owner.  Most pets are found close to home, if not in their front yard.
• Taking the pet to a veterinary office to check for a microchip to be connected to a possible owner.

Pet owners can take the following precautions to help in case their pets are lost:  

• Keeping a collar and visible ID tag on your pet so neighbors can easily and quickly get your pet home to you.
• Updating pet microchips if there is a change in address by calling the microchip company. (RCDAS shelter staff can assist if this information is unknown.)
• Registering your pet proactively on Petco Love Lost to be prepared for those unexpected accidents.

“We are working hard to reunite pets with the families that love them,” said Fifth District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez, who serves with Supervisor Perez on the Ad-Hoc Committee. “We are making 2025 the year that lost pets return home!”

For people who want to help RivCo pets by adding a new pet to their family, all adoptions are free at all shelter locations now through May 15th as part of the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” sponsored event.  

Adoptable pets will be available at the following times and shelter locations:

Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Coachella Valley: 72-050 Pet Land Place Thousand Palms, CA 92276
• San Jacinto: 581 S. Grand Ave. San Jacinto, CA 92582
• Jurupa Valley: 6851 Van Buren Blvd Jurupa Valley, CA 92509

Monday-Friday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

• Blythe: 245 S Carlton Blythe, CA 92225

For those interested in fostering, RCDAS can provide needed supplies and medical care. The pets most in need of foster care are larger dogs, those with medical needs, and those with behavioral challenges. For more information visit www.rcdas.org.