Free Microchip & Vaccination Clinic at Coachella Valley Animal Campus on Sunday
Cynthia White
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) reports that data released by “Shelter Animals Count” shows the Fourth of July as the busiest weekend for lost pets entering shelters.
RCDAS is offering a free Microchip & Vaccination Clinic ahead of the holiday to help reunite any wayward furry friends with their families.
The free clinic is offered to Riverside County residents and will be held on Sunday, June 29th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at all four RCDAS locations. Clinic services will be first-come, first-served, with no appointments.
Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez says, “I encourage all Riverside County pet owners to take advantage of this great opportunity… We can all play a part in helping the pets in our County, and keeping lost pets from entering our shelters is a good first step.”
All shelters will be closed on Friday, July 4th, and will reopen Saturday, July 5th. During the closure, Field Services will only respond to emergencies. To reach Emergency Dispatch, call 951-358-7387 only for animals that are injured, aggressive, or blocking traffic.
Starting July 5th, non-emergency shelter intakes will resume and anyone searching for a lost pet may walk through RCDAS kennels or check their Lost Pet Search Page (www.rcdas.org/lost-pets). RCDAS also recommends searching community-held pets on Petco Love Lost (www.petcolovelost.org) and neighborhood sites like Nextdoor or local Facebook groups.
If anyone finds a pet, RCDAS suggests posting on Petco Love Lost, Nextdoor, and Facebook, then walk the pet around the area it was found – most are recovered within one mile.
RCDAS quick safety tips for the Fourth of July holiday:
Keep pets indoors and secure
Never use fireworks near animals
Avoid table scraps, alcohol, glow sticks, and human bug spray
Use vet-approved calming aids
Confirm microchip and ID tags are current or come get FREE microchips, vaccines, collars, and tags at our clinics at all 4 locations on June 29th.
All reclaim fees are waived at all shelter locations to include waived adoption fees. RCDAS continues to operate in critical overcapacity with the number of dogs in kennels, which is why it is important to reunite lost pets quickly during the Fourth of July weekend.
For more holiday tips visit: www.rcdas.org/tips-4th-july