Over 440 Riverside County shelter pets find new homes in weekend of action
Athena Jreij
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Over the weekend, 443 animals at Riverside County shelters found their new ‘fur-ever’ homes thanks to new initiatives pushing animals out of kennels.
Programs like ‘Ticket to Ride,’ a short-term foster program, and extended weekend hours, have all helped save lives.
Launched earlier this summer, ‘Ticket to Ride’ provides transitional foster homes for animals between shelters and adopters. Just days ago, 66 dogs were transported in the program’s first flight to Maine and New York.
“It’s a great way to help out, make some space at the shelter, and know that pet already has placement,” Marlo Clingman with the Department of Animal Services said.
It comes after months of new measures tackling overcrowding, that saw record numbers of 240% overcapacity just days ago.
Imalia Diego, a Riverside local and parent to three dogs already, was one of the first fosters in the program. She says before the Fourth of July, she went to the shelter hoping to lighten the load of animals left in kennels during the stressful holiday.
But an idea for one foster, quickly became two.
“They had told me that it was one dog and that if I took the one dog, a kennel would free up. So I went in and they were like, oh, actually, it’s two puppies in that kennel, so if I take one then I’m not going to free up that kennel. So I was like, okay, I’ll take both of them,” Diego said.
While she only hosted the pair, Kylo and Sally, for two weeks, she believes it changed her life.
“They were kind of shy, a little skinny. Then I was able to socialize them a little, potty train them, get them walking on a leash. All the progress that they made is so, so rewarding, then to know that they’re going to a family. The day before they had to fly out I was hugging them and crying. It was very emotional.”
Clingman says folks like Diego are the solution they need to show up in the community.
While this weekend’s progress likely saved hundreds of lives, their work isn’t done yet.
“The more volunteers we can see show up and get involved, they really are like the beating heart of any shelter. We really rely on the volunteers, the fosters, getting those pets out of the shelter,” Clingman said.
For more information on ‘Ticket to Ride’, visit: https://rcdas.org/ticket-ride