Friday, 10 September 2010
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Wednesday, 30 December 2009 00:00

Animal Services Launches ‘Pit Bull Project’


Too many pit bulls end up in Riverside County shelters and too many of them do not end up in lifelong, loving homes.

Why? Well, many of them were part of unwanted litters. They came into the world because somewhere a pit bull owner allowed their unaltered dog to roam and procreate.

This endless cycle translates to roughly 4,000 pit bulls flowing into Riverside County shelters every year – not including the region’s other government or nonprofit shelters in other cities such as Corona, Indio, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Norco or Palm Springs.


The Riverside County Department of Animal Services is starting a program – “The Pit Bull Project” – aimed specifically at pit bull owners whose dogs are not yet fixed. Animal Services wants to encourage such owners to take advantage of the program that will essentially provide a free spay or neuter surgery.

Signups are being taken for Day No. 1 of the “Pit Bull Project” on Jan. 13. The first day is just about filled – but Animal Services is planning a Day No. 2 and, possibly, a Day No. 3 sometime later in January or early February.

Roughly 4,000 pit bulls or pit bull mixes were impounded by the Department of Animal Services in 2008. That number equates to about one out of every five dogs in Riverside County shelters is a pit bull. But only about 11 percent of all pit bulls get adopted. The most sobering statistic? Roughly 73 percent of all pit bulls are euthanized in Riverside County.

While the euthanasia of animals is on the decline across Riverside County, the pit bull population continues to grow, leaving most of these animals in the shelters to languish due to lack of demand.

Animal Services Director Robert Miller directed staff to find alternative funding to offset the cost of spay & neuter surgeries. The Petco Foundation awarded Animal Services with a $10,000 grant in September and the county Board of Supervisors officially accepted the donation during a November meeting.

The Pit Bull Project marks the first time in the Department of Animal Services’ history to specifically budget money directly for a specific dog breed, Miller said.

“We believe this is a proactive approach to addressing this problem,” Miller said. “Far too many pit bulls are ending up euthanized. With some help from the pit-bull owning public, we hope to put a stop to this sad outcome.”

Animal Services is receiving additional help from another philanthropic organization. North Hollywood-based Actors and Others For Animals is providing a donation specifically toward the project. The kind donation of $750 means an additional 30 dogs will be altered during the project’s run.

To qualify for the Pit Bull Project:
  • dog owner must show proof of residency in Riverside County (a current driver’s license or California ID with a Riverside County address is acceptable)
  • the dog must be a pit bull or pit bull mix
  • the dog must be owned by an individual (sorry, no foster organizations or rescue group animals); stray animals or shelter animals will be allowed
  • determination whether the dog is a pit bull will be up to the discretion of Animal Services staff; documentation of breed history can be provided, but the final decision is up to Animal Services staff; the dogs identified as a breed other than a pit bull can still qualify for the county’s regular, low-cost spay/neuter prices
  • to be put on the Pit Bull Project list, call 951-358-PETS (7387) or 951-358-7135 (ask for Felix Ruvacalba)


Please note that owners are expected to cover the cost of any necessary rabies vaccinations, current dog license and microchipping. That means some owners could be expected to pay up to about $40 to participate.

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Contact:
John Welsh
Public Information Chief
OFFICE: 951-358-7045
MEDIA CALLS: 951-565-7934
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