Riverside Animal Services Joins BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters® Adoption Event July 5–26
July 8, 2026
Riverside Animal Services Joins BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters® Adoption Event July 5–26
Shelters nationwide reduce adoption fees and find loving homes for pets
Riverside, CA – July 8, 2026 – BISSELL Pet Foundation, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness, is bringing back its signature Empty the Shelters® adoption event from July 5–26, 2026.
Riverside County Department of Animal Services is proud to participate in this nationwide effort, joining animal welfare organizations across the country to help more pets find loving homes. During the event, BISSELL Pet Foundation will sponsor reduced adoption fees of $70 or less for cats and dogs, making it more affordable to welcome a new pet into the family. All RCDAS adoptions are free and all adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations and a microchip.
Summer is one of the most challenging times of year for animal shelters, as kitten and puppy season brings an influx of litters while adoptions struggle to keep pace. At the same time, shelters often see increased owner surrenders and fewer available volunteer hours, creating significant capacity and resource challenges. Empty the Shelters helps provide critical relief by encouraging adoption and creating much-needed space for pets awaiting homes.
On Sunday, July 5th, Shepherd mix Clara was one of the first Empty the Shelters adoptions for the day. She finally found her forever home after spending nearly 100 days at the shelter.
“We are giving more pets greater opportunities and more time to be seen, and there are many dogs like Clara who arrive at the shelter through no fault of their own waiting for their big day,” said RCDAS Director Mary Martin. “With so many amazing pets, I challenge anyone to walk into our shelters and not fall in love immediately.”
Fee-waived adoptions available from July 5-26 at the following times and RivCo Animal Services locations:
Saturday - Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Coachella Valley Animal Campus: 72-050 Pet Land Place Thousand Palms, CA 92276
San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus: 581 S. Grand Ave. San Jacinto, CA 92582
Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter: 6851 Van Buren Blvd Jurupa Valley, CA 92509
*Blythe Animal Shelter: 245 S Carlton Ave, Blythe, CA 92276 (Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
"Every summer, shelters face the greatest pressure of pet overpopulation," said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. "We are deeply committed to addressing the root causes of overcrowding through spay and neuter — but until prevention can meet the scale of the crisis, our adoption events are a lifeline for shelters and the pets in their care. We hope you'll open your heart and your home to a shelter pet this summer."
With over 1,000 pets available for adoption across the shelter system, there are many breeds, ages and sizes to choose from. RCDAS shelters are currently operating at 238% overcapacity for dogs and 174% overcapacity for cats.
“We need the community’s help emptying the shelters. Fee-waived adoptions make it easy and more accessible for families to rescue a shelter pet,” said Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “Saving more lives is our commitment, and we are going to need the community to step up as part of the solution.”
“The summer is a great time to bring more joy to your life by adopting a RivCo pet,” said Fifth District Supervisor Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez. “This is your chance to change a life and support a great cause.”
To view adoptable pets, visit www.rcdas.org/adoptable-pets.
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Empty the Shelters is the nation’s largest funded adoption event and has helped more than 400,000 pets find homes across the U.S. and Canada since its inception in 2016. Sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation, the program works with hundreds of animal welfare organizations to reduce adoption fees and make pet adoption accessible to more families. All pets available through participating shelters are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Each shelter determines its own adoption process—prospective adopters are encouraged to contact shelters directly for details.
About Riverside County Department of Animal Services
The Riverside County Department of Animal Services shelters more than 35,000 animals annually across four locations, making it one of the largest sheltering systems in the country. RCDAS provides adoption, lost pet reunification, pet support services, and public safety programs, all aimed at keeping pets with families and increasing animal lifesaving.
About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping and emergency support. Founded in 2011 by Cathy Bissell, BPF is an extension of her long-standing love for animals and commitment to their welfare. BPF has since partnered with more than 6,025 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Inc. where every purchase saves pets. To learn more, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org.
