Riverside, CA – September 26, 2025 –The Riverside County Department of Animal Services transferred 18 dogs from a property in the City of Coachella to Amazing Dogs Rescue in San Diego on Wednesday. The property owner claimed she had been feeding the dogs for over a month and could no longer continue to care for them. Members of the Field Services team stepped in to remove the dogs from the property and transported them to the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter. That same day, the rescue took these 18 dogs plus an additional 12 dogs into their care.

“On any given day our field service teams are responding to dozens of calls in the community where they can intake a large number of pets in need of care and placement,” said RCDAS Assistant Director Dr. Kimberly Youngberg. “We serve as the safety net for people and pets in crisis, and we lean on our rescue partners to help us make space in overcrowded kennels.”

With over 1,000 dogs across the shelter system there is an urgent need for public support to clear kennel space immediately through foster and adoption. The department has been operating in critical overcapacity for the entire month of September and recently reached 230% capacity for dogs. All adoption fees are waived the rest of the month and include spay/neuter surgery, microchips, vaccinations and an engraved ID tag.

More dogs are entering the shelter system than are leaving through adoption, return-to-owner or rescue. In August of this year, 1,620 dogs entered the shelter system while 1,021 left through adoption, return-to-owner or transfer out.

There are no appointments required to adopt or foster, and the public is encouraged to show up at the shelters so staff can answer any questions and assist in person. Please share this urgent request and visit www.rcdas.org.

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