RivCo Animal Services Reports 2025 Improvements

Riverside County says its animal shelters improved adoptions, returns to owners and spay-neuter work in 2025, even as dog kennels stayed overcrowded. (rivco.gov) The Riverside County Department of Animal Services released its 2025 annual report on April 23, 2026. The county said its four shelters took in more than 29,000 dogs and cats last year, plus more than 5,000 small animals, livestock and wildlife. (rivco.gov) The report says the department performed 17,349 spay and neuter surgeries in 2025, raised adoptions by 13%, and returned 3,208 cats and dogs to their owners. Dog save rate reached 82% and cat save rate reached 73%, according to the county. (rivco.gov) A live-release rate measures the share of shelter animals that leave alive through adoption, return to owner, transfer or foster placement rather than euthanasia. Riverside County officials said 2025 programs put the system on track toward a 90% live-release target. (rivco.gov) The county tied those gains to longer shelter hours, Sunday openings, waived adoption and return-to-owner fees, and programs with names like Dog Day Out, DIBS for Dogs, Ticket-to-Ride and Most Vulnerable Pets. The annual report says the county also added staff for adoption, foster, rescue, enrichment and pet-support work. (rcdas.org) (rivco.gov) The 2025 report follows earlier updates that showed the same trend building through the year. In a December 23, 2025 quarterly report covering January through September, the county said dog live release rose to 81% from 75.3% in 2024 and cat live release rose to 72% from 62.2%, while euthanasia fell by 1,316 dogs and 630 cats. (rivco.gov) An August 7, 2025 midyear report showed combined cat-and-dog live release at 78.8%, up from 70.4% a year earlier, with 1,513 fewer euthanasias and 3,370 fewer intakes in the first six months. That report also said adoption rates for cats and dogs combined rose from 30% to 35%. (rcdas.org) County officials say the pressure has not eased. The April 23 release said Riverside County remains one of the nation’s highest-intake shelter systems and that dogs still outnumber available kennel space on most days. (rivco.gov) Director Mary Martin said in the county release that 2026 will focus on expanding lifesaving programs, partnerships and support for pet owners. Supervisors V. Manuel Perez and Yxstian Gutierrez said adoption, fostering, volunteering and responsible pet ownership will determine whether the county reaches its no-kill goal. (rivco.gov)