Riverside County Board of Supervisors recently voted to provide funding that would make it possible to reopen the San Jacinto shelter to the public and efforts are underway to reopen the shelter after it was shuttered in 2020 due to budgetary concerns.
“The work being done at our Riverside County animal shelters is critical for the safety and health of pets and their families countywide. Reopening the San Jacinto Animal Campus broadens that work to meet the needs of residents,” said Fifth District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez.
While the facility, located at 581 S. Grand Ave., in San Jacinto, has provided animal control services to unincorporated areas of the county, the $3.4 million budget adopted and ratified by the Board on June 20 will now allow for a fuller spectrum of public amenities to include licensing, sheltering, fostering and adoption opportunities.
“We are very pleased with this news and are working quickly to open the shelter and provide assistance to our mid-county residents and their pets,” said Erin Gettis, Riverside County Department of Animal Services director.
Gettis added: “Reopening the shelter will improve the Department of Animal Services’ ability to provide comprehensive services to people and their pets in the mid county area. It’s an important step in addressing the overcrowding of our shelters here in Riverside County, much as we have seen across the nation.”
A projected timeline for opening the facility with expanded capabilities is slated for later in fall, but Gettis and her team are currently working to recruit staff and reaching out to mid-county residents regarding services.
Staff at the shelter will include animal control officers, animal care and shelter operations. Veterinary care is also being explored at the facility to support the growing public interest for services.
For information, visit www.rcdas.org or email shelterinfo@rivco.org.
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