Riverside County shelter dogs travel to find new homes
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - "Want to go for a ride?" took on a whole new meaning on Thursday for 42 shelter dogs looking for forever homes.
Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) partners with animal shelters and rescues across the country to find space for and transfer Riverside County shelter animals. Thursday's transfer was of 42 large dogs who were flown to a rescue in New York where they will be available for adoption.
RCDAS officials say 6,262 cats and dogs were transferred from Riverside County shelters to partners across the U.S. and Canada in 2024. This plane full of dogs represents the number of dogs entering the county's shelter system each day.
RCDAS Programs Manager Daylin Valencia says, "With more dogs entering our shelters than our community can adopt, our shelters are facing massive overcrowding... so this transport flight is vital. Preparing these dogs for their cross-country journey is a massive operation for all staff involved, but our dedicated team is committed to giving these dogs, and all pets in our care, the loving homes they deserve."
RCDAS reports its veterinary team checked the health of every dog, the animal care team coordinated supplies and airline crates to ensure the dogs would be comfortable, and the field services team and Riverside Emergency Action Response System (R.E.A.R.S) volunteers helped transfer each of the dogs from the shelter to the airport.
Even with this lifesaving transport, RCDAS still has an overcapacity of dogs at the shelters, so fee-waived adoptions have been extended through St. Patrick’s Day (Monday, March 17), at all Riverside County shelter locations. To learn more, visit www.rcdas.org.
