Riverside County’s shelters are offering fee-waived adoptions during its first-ever Fall in Love campaign. The adoption special will run through October 31. Riverside County Animal Services is encouraging visitors to consider pets, especially dogs, that have been cared for the longest at county shelters.
“We have a strong need now for people to consider the dogs that have been with us far too long,” Animal Services Director Erin Gettis said. “These dogs are the most in need of homes, through adoption or rescue, and are in danger of facing euthanasia simply because their length of stay means they are experiencing kennel stress and getting sick.”
Shelters throughout Southern California are running at above capacity because of several factors. Access to veterinary care – specifically spay and neuter surgeries – is likely causing a spike in unwanted litters, further overrunning municipal and nonprofit shelter organizations, Gettis said.
“Due to the shortage of veterinarians, the community is struggling to find low-cost spay and neuter surgeries,” she said. “The department has been unable to provide surgeries to the public, beyond the mobile spay/neuter outreaches, but there is a great need. We have four full-time veterinarians, but we used to be able to call on more than a dozen veterinarians to work on contract for a day here and there. That list no longer exists for us.”
Gettis said other factors being discussed internally and with other shelter directors include: the economy and how it might be impacting people’s decisions to adopt; too many large dogs; and a lack of breeds people desire. Also, it’s very possible there has been an oversaturation of available adopters.
Meanwhile, dogs start to languish at area shelters, get sick and shelter employees are left with the tough decisions about which dogs can stay longer as more and more are impounded daily, Gettis said. “This Fall in Love campaign is as much about encouraging adoptions but it also a plea for help from us,” she said.
