Riverside County in Animal Shelter, Control & Rescue 2026
This guide is for people searching for the Riverside County animal shelter in San Jacinto: adoption hours, pet fees, lost/found animals, field services, rescue help, dog licensing, and urgent animal-control calls.
Start here: if you need San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, use 581 S. Grand Ave., San Jacinto, CA 92582 and call 951-358-PETS (7387) before driving for a specific pet or urgent field issue.
Choose What You Need
- Clickable action cards
- San Jacinto hours and field hours
- Adoption fees and what is included
- Adoption micro-steps
- DIBS pre-adoption
- Lost and found pet steps
- Animal-control and field-service calls
- Dog licensing basics
- Rehome, surrender and pet support
- Pet services and microchip notes
- Before you leave home
- Call scripts
- Map
- Official links
- 10 FAQs
Clickable Riverside County Animal Help Cards
Tap the action that matches your problem. This section is built for quick decisions, not long reading.
San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus Hours
Use shelter hours for adoption/lobby visits and field-service hours for animal-control response planning.
| Service | Official hours / detail | Best micro-step | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelter / adoption visits | Tuesday-Friday: 11am-6pm | Arrive with ID, leash/carrier and pet screenshot. | Most adoptions can be completed during the visit. |
| Weekend shelter visits | Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm | Go earlier on weekends because popular pets move fast. | First-come policy can affect availability. |
| Closed days | Closed Mondays and holidays | Use online pet lists and call next open day. | Do not plan a walk-in visit on closed days. |
| Field service hours | Monday-Friday: 7:30am-5pm | Call 951-358-7387 with cross streets and animal description. | Field services are separate from shelter lobby hours. |
| After-hours urgent calls | Stand-by officer during off hours | Call for injured/aggressive animals, immediate cruelty or public-safety risk. | Response times vary by officer coverage and prior emergencies. |
Adoption Fees and What Is Included
RCDAS lists regular first-48-hour fees, then says adoptions become free after a pet has been available for two days. Promotions and special events may reduce or waive fees sooner, so confirm current pricing before visiting.
| Pet type | First 48 hours fee | After 48 hours | What to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | $105 | Free after two days available | Ask heartworm, behavior, kennel notes and home intro tips. |
| Cat, 8 weeks to 4 months | $65 | Free after two days available | Ask booster schedule and kitten-proofing steps. |
| Cat, 5 months to 1 year | $45 | Free after two days available | Ask litter, diet, vaccine and social notes. |
| Cat over 1 year | $25 | Free after two days available | Ask temperament, medical notes and adjustment plan. |
| Other animals | Case-by-case | Ask in person | Confirm species-specific setup, diet and legal care needs. |
Adoption Micro-Steps
Use this order for a faster San Jacinto shelter visit.
Open the San Jacinto pet list
Use the San Jacinto adoptable pet portal. Screenshot the animal name, ID and photo.
Go during shelter hours
Visit Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm or Saturday-Sunday 10am-4pm. The campus is closed Mondays and holidays.
Bring the right basics
Bring valid photo ID, a leash for dogs, and a carrier for cats or small animals.
Bring immediate family when possible
RCDAS recommends bringing immediate family members to meet the prospective pet and discuss home introductions.
Ask about same-day go-home
RCDAS says most pets go home the same day. Ask whether the pet has any hold, surgery, health or behavior note.
Ask post-adoption questions
Ask about vaccines, microchip registration, preventive treatment, ID tag, food, decompression and return/support policy.
DIBS Pre-Adoption for Stray-Hold Pets
RCDAS says animals completing their mandatory stray hold period may be available through a DIBS pre-adoption process.
Stray hold first
Pets may be in a mandatory stray hold period of 3-10 days while the original owner has a chance to reclaim.
Paperwork early
DIBS lets you complete pre-adoption paperwork early for eligible animals.
Go-home timing
If the owner does not reclaim, you take the pet home the first day it becomes available.
Lost or Found Pet in Riverside County / San Jacinto
RCDAS recommends using Petco Love Lost, shelter checks, neighborhood search, signs, microchip alerts and DocuPet if licensed.
If your pet is lost
- Search Petco Love Lost and register your lost pet there.
- Check San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus found-pet listings.
- Search within one mile of home; RCDAS says many lost pets are found close to where they live.
- Make lost-pet signs and hang them while walking the area.
- Visit nearby animal shelters every couple of days because pets may appear later.
- If licensed, alert DocuPet.
- If microchipped, alert the microchip company and update your phone number.
If you found a pet
- Search lost listings on Petco Love Lost and register the found pet.
- Have the pet scanned for a microchip at a vet clinic or shelter for free.
- Walk or drive around the found location and post FOUND signs.
- Post on local lost-and-found social channels.
- If safe, hold the pet for at least 72 hours to give the owner time to locate it.
- If you cannot hold the pet, bring it to the shelter during business hours.
- If the animal is sick, injured or a public-safety risk after hours, call 951-358-PETS.
Animal Control and Field-Service Calls
For Riverside County field service, call with details. After-hours emergency calls are routed through an operator/dispatcher and response depends on officer coverage and earlier emergencies.
| Situation | Use this route | Say this first | Do not do this |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injured animal | Call 951-358-7387 | Exact city, cross streets, injury type, animal description. | Do not handle if unsafe. |
| Aggressive animal | Call 951-358-7387 | Current danger, people nearby, location and direction of travel. | Do not chase, corner or provoke. |
| Immediate cruelty matter | Call 951-358-7387 | What you just witnessed, address, animal condition, photos if safe/legal. | Do not trespass or confront. |
| Loose livestock / public safety | Call 951-358-7387 or 911 if immediate danger | Roadway, landmark, animal type and traffic risk. | Do not try to herd large livestock alone. |
| Routine non-emergency | Use regular business contact or online info | City, address, animal details and your contact information. | Do not use Facebook messages for emergencies. |
Dog Licensing Basics for Riverside County
Dog licensing depends on your jurisdiction. Use your exact address in DocuPet or the official licensing page before paying.
What RCDAS says you need
- Dogs in Riverside County must be licensed and vaccinated against rabies starting at four months.
- Proof of current valid rabies vaccination is required.
- Microchip and microchip number are required.
- Proof of spay/neuter is needed for discounted fees.
- Senior discount requires proof of age plus spay/neuter and rabies proof.
Fee examples from the official page
- Unincorporated Riverside County / Calimesa / Cathedral City / Eastvale / Hemet: altered $25-$75.
- Unaltered in those listed jurisdictions: $120-$360.
- Senior altered discount in those listed jurisdictions: $12-$36.
- Additional fees may include replacement tag, ownership transfer, dangerous dog registration and late fee.
Rehome, Surrender and Pet Support
If you can safely keep the pet for now, check support and rehome options before surrendering. RCDAS lists a Pet Support Center route for emergency rehoming situations.
| Need | Best first step | Prepare before calling | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehome your pet | Use the RCDAS Rehome page or call 1-888-636-7387 | Photos, age, weight, medical status, behavior notes, urgency. | Good details help find safer placement options. |
| Emergency rehoming | Call the Pet Support Center | Explain why you cannot hold the pet any longer. | Staff can direct you to the correct next step. |
| Pet support needs | Ask about food, behavior, spay/neuter, vaccine or microchip resources. | Describe the problem clearly. | Support may prevent surrender. |
| Owner surrender | Call before bringing the pet | ID, proof of ownership, vet records, bite/behavior history, medications. | Walk-in surrender may not be the right route. |
Pet Services, Microchips and Humane Euthanasia Notes
RCDAS pet-service pages include microchip registration guidance, clinic locations and humane euthanasia rules.
Microchip registration
If your pet was microchipped through RCDAS, your contact may be in the county system, but RCDAS says it does not register your contact information with 24PetWatch.
24PetWatch
RCDAS lists 24PetWatch Pet Protection Services at 866-597-2424 for direct microchip registration help.
Vaccines and microchips
Clinic appointments are listed for Riverside/Jurupa Valley and Coachella Valley locations. Check current appointment links before going.
Humane euthanasia
RCDAS says it does not euthanize adoptable or otherwise healthy animals and requires shelter consultation with veterinary staff.
Fee note
RCDAS lists a $50 fee for humane euthanasia and care of remains.
Sick/injured owned pet
County shelters are not regular veterinary hospitals. For your sick or injured pet, contact your veterinarian or emergency clinic.
Before You Leave Home
Pet screenshot, photo ID, leash or carrier, landlord approval, family agreement.
Recent photos, microchip number, DocuPet/license tag, cross streets, last-seen time.
Photos, exact location, safety status, microchip scan plan, 72-hour hold ability.
City, cross streets, animal description, danger level, photos if safe/legal.
San Jacinto / Riverside County Local Tips
Know the campus
San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus is the relevant Riverside County shelter for this search, not the Jurupa Valley or Coachella campus.
Go same day
If a pet appears online and you are ready to adopt, visit the same day when possible. RCDAS says animals move quickly.
Bring exact location
For field calls, cross streets and city matter. Riverside County officers are assigned by area.
Update tags
DocuPet, microchip and ID tag updates are the fastest way to shorten a shelter stay.
Ask about DIBS
If the animal is still on stray hold, ask whether the DIBS pre-adoption process applies.
Use Petco Love Lost
RCDAS uses Petco Love Lost for lost/found workflows; use it quickly for both missing and found pets.
Map: San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus
Use this map for route planning. Call first for urgent animal-control issues, specific adoptable pets, or after-hours emergencies.
Copy/Paste Call Scripts
Adoption
Hi, I saw [animal name/ID] on the San Jacinto adoptable pet list. Is this pet still available, and what should I bring today?Lost pet
Hi, my [dog/cat] is missing near [cross streets/city]. Description: [color/size/collar/microchip]. Has a matching pet come into San Jacinto?Found pet
Hi, I found a [dog/cat/other] near [exact location]. The animal is [safe/injured/aggressive]. I can/cannot hold it safely for 72 hours. What should I do?Field service
Hi, I need animal-control help at [city/cross streets]. The animal is [injured/aggressive/loose livestock/public-safety risk]. Description: [details].Official Riverside County Animal Links
The important details are summarized above. Use these official links for live pet listings, current hours, fee changes, forms, promotions and final verification.
Riverside County Animal Shelter in San Jacinto FAQ
What is the Riverside County animal shelter in San Jacinto called?
It is called the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, operated by Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
Where is the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus located?
The campus is located at 581 S. Grand Ave., San Jacinto, CA 92582.
What is the San Jacinto animal shelter phone number?
The phone number is 951-358-PETS, which is 951-358-7387. The toll-free number is 1-888-636-7387.
What are San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus adoption hours?
The shelter is open Tuesday through Friday from 11am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and closed Mondays and holidays.
How much does Riverside County charge to adopt a dog?
RCDAS lists dogs at $105 during the first 48 hours. After a pet has been available for adoption for two days, the official adoption page says adoptions are free.
How much does Riverside County charge to adopt a cat?
RCDAS lists cats at $65 for 8 weeks to 4 months, $45 for 5 months to 1 year, and $25 for cats over 1 year during the first 48 hours. After two days available, adoptions are listed as free.
What is included with a Riverside County animal adoption?
RCDAS says every adoption includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, a microchip and an engraved ID tag. The adoption FAQ also mentions preventive treatments.
What should I do if I lost a pet near San Jacinto?
Search and register on Petco Love Lost, check San Jacinto found-pet listings, search within one mile of home, make signs, visit shelters every couple of days, alert DocuPet if licensed, and alert the microchip company.
What should I do if I found a pet in Riverside County?
Register the found pet on Petco Love Lost, have the pet scanned for a microchip, post found signs and social posts, and if safe, hold the pet for at least 72 hours. If you cannot hold the pet, contact or visit the shelter during business hours.
When should I call Riverside County Animal Services after hours?
Call 951-358-7387 after hours for injured animals, aggressive animals, immediate cruelty matters, or animals creating a public-safety risk such as loose livestock or a dog in a busy road.
Animal Shelter Action Planner: Lost Pet, Found Pet, Adoption, Reclaim & Surrender Helper
Use this free tool to create a practical next-step plan before visiting or contacting an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or animal control agency. It does not search a live shelter database, but it helps you prepare the right documents, questions, safety steps, and official-source searches.
Build a USA-wide shelter action plan
Select your situation and location. The tool will create a general action plan, search links, call questions, and a copyable checklist.
Lost pet recovery checklist
Check the steps you have completed. This helps you stay organized during the first urgent hours and days.
Found pet safety decision helper
Use this when you find a stray or loose pet and need a safe next step.
Adoption readiness checker
This helps adopters prepare before visiting a shelter or rescue. It is not a guarantee of approval.
Pet reclaim document checklist
If your pet may be at a shelter, prepare proof before visiting. Exact requirements and fees vary by agency.
Owner surrender preparation helper
Surrender rules vary. Many shelters require appointments, proof of residence, behavior/medical information, and may offer alternatives.
Animal control contact decision helper
Choose the situation and get a general USA-wide contact path. Local rules may differ.
Adoption and first-month budget planner
This is a planning guide, not a shelter fee database. Always confirm adoption fees and included services with the shelter.
Your generated shelter plan
Your action plan, search links, call script, checklist, or budget guide will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Select your state, city/county/ZIP, pet type, and goal. The tool will create a practical USA-wide shelter action plan.
Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. It does not send your entries to animal-shelter.org.