As heat impacts animal shelters, Rivco hosts extended hours adoption event

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) - Extreme heat is impacting local animal shelters that already face overcrowding. Officials say higher temperatures make it harder to care for dogs and get them out of their kennels.

This Saturday, Riverside County is asking the community to step up and help animals find their forever homes.  

The 'Midnight March Muttness' event is extending Saturday's shelter hours from 10 a.m. to midnight, while offering free adoptions.

Veronica Perez, with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, says animals in the shelter are fine, but their enrichment can be impacted by heat.

"We have the misters and because they have the ability right to be inside in the AC is huge. So it really boils down to we want to provide the most enrichment we can. We're expanding our play yards, that's going to be huge because getting anywhere from 20 to 30 dogs out at one time where they can exercise and socialize, not in the heat of the day, is huge," she said.

It's another strain on living conditions for animals who already share kennels.

"We do see generally more intake happening just because of the warmer weather. Right? Kitten and puppy season, we're going to see our shelters fill up with more cats and dogs," Perez said.

The county hopes the weekend's event will alleviate some of that stress.

"We want to make adoptions easy and accessible. So I think opening until midnight gives us really almost a full day to to make those connections between family members and adoptable dogs."

It's apart of their growing efforts to address the county's 230% overcapacity, with more than 1,100 animals in their care.

"From January to February 2026, compared to the first two months of 2025, we are seeing adoptions go up. We're continuing with our flight transports, and keeping those relationships with rescues going on, flying dogs out, working with outside and new rescues," Perez said.

For more information on the event, visit: https://rcdas.org/events/midnight-march-muttness.