The Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) in partnership with the Jason Heigl Foundation and Two Pups Wellness Fund, is launching a new program designed to help save more lives. The program is simple: transfer a dog that’s been in RCDAS care for more than 21 days and receive $500.
This pilot program aims to prove that by investing in rescue partners, RCDAS can expand current adoption reach and increase the number of dogs finding successful outcomes. The first dog to be rescued from the program is one-year-old Buckaroo, who was at the Western Riverside Animal Shelter for 34 days. The Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center is now helping the playful Doberman Pinscher find a home.
“We understand the huge effort that goes into rescuing a single dog from a shelter, and we are eager to support rescues who step up to save a life through Project Get Out,” said Nancy Heigl from the Jason Heigl Foundation.
“Two Pups Wellness Fund is excited to partner with Riverside County and the Jason Heigl Foundation to expand our already successful Arizona-based program,” said Two Pups Wellness Fund Executive Director Bip Haley. “By working together, we can save even more lives in Riverside County.”
As one of the nation’s highest-intake shelter systems, RCDAS took in over 29,000 dogs and cats, plus over 5,000 small animals, livestock, and wildlife last year. The department continues to operate in critical overcrowding for dogs at all four shelter locations, where some kennels house three to four large dogs together.
“Good ideas come from our community, and when we work together pets win,” said RCDAS Director Mary Martin. “Meredith Bettencourt of La Quinta called me to brainstorm more ways to save lives, and her willingness to help is the spark that led us to bringing Project Get Out from Arizona to Riverside County.”
“This truly is a team effort between private and public entities to get more dogs out of our shelters,” said La Quinta resident Meredith Bettencourt. “I’m hopeful the community can donate to this effort so it can grow and help as many pets as possible.”
Due to the generosity of the Jason Heigl Foundation, RCDAS is launching the first iteration of Project Get Out and will need ongoing fundraising to cover future costs. The public can support this effort by donating directly to Two Pups Wellness Fund, where donations will go directly to saving RivCo dogs.
Interested rescue organizations can send an email to shelterinfo@rivco.org to learn more about the program and visit www.rcdas.org/adopt to view adoptable dogs.
