Don't forget to bookmark this page under your Favorites list! And when you get to the listing of cats and/or dogs, hit the refresh button at the top of your browser window -- just to make sure you have the latest updates on the animals!!

The RHSPAC is a clean, state-of-the-art, no-kill shelter. All cats and kittens that enter our facility are here until they are adopted into new homes.

Check out our pet list to see the sweet faces of some of our current feline shelter residents -- we have them in all colors, sizes, and personalities – and be prepared to fall in love!

Make Adoption Your First Option

ADOPTION FEES

KITTENS UNDER ONE YEAR OLD

$100.00

KITTENS UNDER ONE YEAR OLD (purebred)

$175.00

CATS 1-5 YEARS OLD

$80.00

CATS 1-5 YEARS OLD (purebred)

$175.00

CATS OVER 6 YEARS OLD

$60.00

PUPPIES UNDER 1 YEAR OLD

$ 200.00

PUPPIES UNDER 1 YEAR OLD (purebred)

$300.00

DOGS 1-5 YEARS OLD

$150.00

DOGS 1-5 YEARS OLD (purebred)

$250.00

DOGS OVER 6 YEARS OLD

$100.00

Check out adoption day photos of our dogs and cats

who have found new homes!

Our Cat List

Before you adopt a cat, ask yourself:

AM I READY TO MAKE A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT? Adopting a cat means being responsible for his or her health and happiness that should take the relationship through all of life's transitions, such as moving. Cats can live 15 to 20 years.

CAN I AFFORD THE CAT? The cost of a cat is more than just the adoption fee; remember to include the cost of food, litter, basic and emergency veterinary care and supplies.

IS EVERYONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING A CAT? One adult in the home should be designated as the primary caretaker so that the cat's needs do not become lost in the shuffle of busy schedules. Make sure your landlord allows pets prior to bringing any new animal home.

DO I HAVE AT LEAST AN HOUR A DAY TO DEVOTE TO THE CARE OF MY CAT? A cat requires plenty of love and affection. Though cats are more independent than dogs, they thrive on your companionship. It is also recommended that you consider adopting two cats if there is no one home during the day. Two are company for each other--and two will bring more love into your life.

AM I READY TO TAKE ON THE DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES OF CARING FOR A CAT? Although cats are easier to take care of than dogs, they still require daily care, such as feeding, exercise through play and cats require a litter box which needs to be scooped clean every day. Using a clumping litter will help control cat box odor and reduce the number of times you will need to change the litter every month.

AM I WILLING TO COMMIT TO UNDERSTANDING BASIC CAT BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING? Understanding cat behavior will help you train your cat not to scratch your furniture, or to use the litter box. Cats are independent, but they can be trained with patience, understanding, and love.

And once you have decided that your household is ready for a cat, the next question is ...

What age is best?

Many people have a warm and fuzzy image of a kitten and a child growing up together. If you have a young child and are thinking of adopting a kitten (less than 1 year old) there are a few things you need to consider. Kittens require a lot of time, patience and supervision. If you have a young child who already requires a lot of care and time, you should ask yourself if you will you have enough time to care for a kitten as well. Kittens, because they’re babies, are fragile creatures. A kitten may become frightened or even injured by a well-meaning, curious child who wants to constantly pick him up, hug him or explore his body by pulling on his tail or ears. Kittens have sharp teeth and claws with which they may inadvertently injure a small child. Kittens also tend to climb up on small children and accidentally scratch. All interactions between your child and kitten will need to be closely supervised in order to minimize the chances of either being injured.

Living with a cat can be beneficial to children. Cats can enhance children’s self-esteem, teach them responsibility and help them to learn empathy. However, children and cats may not always automatically have a wonderful relationship. Parents must be willing to teach the cat and the child acceptable limits of behavior in order to make their interactions pleasant and safe.

As a general rule, if your child is under six years old, it’s best to adopt a cat that’s over two years old. Although kittens can be a lot of fun and it’s exciting and rewarding to help them grow into wonderful companions, they do require significantly more time to supervise than an adult cat.

There are many advantages of getting an adult cat. Adult cats require less time and attention once they’ve adjusted to your family and household routine. You can better gauge how hardy and tolerant an adult cat will be of a child’s enthusiasm and you can work with the adoption center to adopt a cat that has previously lived with children.

While adorable kittens have the power to seduce just about any animal-lover, it's important to remember that baby animals quickly become adults. Before giving in to the pull of a young animal, you need to remember that every animal up for adoption used to be a baby — and that adult animals can be every bit as sweet, cute and playful as their younger counterparts.

Our Dog List

Thinking about adding a dog to the family? Before you start your search for the perfect canine companion, here are some things to think about:

1. Are you ready to make a long-term commitment? Your pet may be with you for a very long time. Did you know that dogs can live from 10-15 years? You may go through many changes in your life-moves, marriages, the birth of children, new jobs and new houses-but your animal will be a permanent part of your life. And since dogs can bond deeply with their families, it can be heartbreaking for the pet-and for the family-should that bond be broken if you cannot care for your animal. Are you up for it?

2. Can you spend quality time with this animal? Canines thrive on several hours of exercise and companionship every day, and dogs who are constantly left alone can develop behavioral problems.

3. Will you be responsible for your pet's health and safety? The cost of owning a dog is more than the initial adoption fee! When estimating the total amount, remember to include basic and emergency veterinary care, toys, supplies and food.

We get new dogs in every day! If you are interested in one particular dog, you can call ahead (951-688-4340 Extension 300) to see if he or she is still available ... or, come by to see who is new!

This site is updated every weekend with newly available dogs and cats. If you don't see what you're looking for, come on down!

The purrfect cat or dog or kitten or puppy may be waiting for you! The Pet Adoption Center hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. We are closed Mondays.

For more information, call (951) 688-4340 Extension 300.

The Riverside Humane Society Pet Adoption Center wishes to help people find the best companion pet possible, and therefore we consider not only the needs of the pets, but also the expectations of the new owners. This involves counseling new pet owners about the individual animal's health, diet, grooming, exercise needs, and much more. Each dog and cat has a distinct personality with individual needs and our Adoption Counselors will help you find the best pet possible!

Adoption Procedure

1. Check in at office.

2. Tour the facilities. Please do not put hands near or in the kennels/cages. This is for health and safety reasons (yours and the animals').

3. If you are interested, you may visit with a particular animal in one of our play yards or in an adoption room. Please contact shelter staff.

4. The most important part of the adoption process is the interaction between the animal, yourself/family, and other dogs (if applicable). All family members (even other dogs in your household) must come in to meet the new animal in order to complete the adoption. It is very important that everyone goes home happy!

5. Once you have decided on an animal, you must fill out an application. An Adoption Counselor then reviews the application.

6. If we feel that the adoption would be beneficial to both you and the animal, the adoption will be approved.

The adoption fee ranges from $65-$250. It is based on many factors, breed, age, etc. All animals are current on vaccinations, spayed or neutered, and micro-chipped.

If you do not own the home you are living in, you must have permission from the owner to have a pet in the home.

The entire adoption process may take approximately an hour. We stop doing adoptions one hour before closing.

Cats must leave wearing a safety collar and in a carrier. Dogs must leave wearing a collar and on a leash. Cats and dogs must leave with a permanent name tag. These are made instantly and can be engraved on both sides. Keep in mind that all proceeds from these items benefit our shelter, as we are a private non-profit charitable organization. Prices are as follows: cat collar $6, cat carrier $10, dog collar $8, dog leash $8 or ($15 for a set), and name tags $8.

Sorry, we do not accept checks for adoptions. We do accept cash, and Visa, Master Card and Discover credit/debit cards.

Thank you for considering to adopt a pet from the RHS Pet Adoption Center .

The Riverside Humane Society is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization THE RIVERSIDE HUMANE SOCIETY PET ADOPTION CENTER strives to eliminate the suffering of homeless dogs and cats by providing humane care for pets in transition, facilitating adoption to good homes, supporting pet overpopulation education, and supporting sterilization of companion animals. The Riverside Humane Society Pet Adoption Center is committed to giving homeless dogs and cats a second chance for a healthy and happy life by finding them good, loving homes.

The Riverside Humane Society has been in existence since 1897 when it was formed to help prevent cruelty to animals and children. Up until 1995, RHS provided complete animal control services, such as licensing, taking in stray animals, and investigating animal abuse. In 1995, we relinquished all animal control responsibilities to the City and County of Riverside. Now the Riverside Humane Society Pet Adoption Center (RHSPAC) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We exist solely through donations from individuals and corporations. We receive no governmental funding.

The RHSPAC is a limited-entry companion animal shelter that takes in healthy, adoptable dogs and cats from owners who can no longer care for them. When space allows, we also select healthy, adoptable cats and dogs from animal control facilities prior to their being destroyed. Once an animal becomes a resident, we provide the necessary shelter, food, medical treatment, spaying or neutering, exercise, and companionship they need in order to remain healthy and adoptable.

Once an animal is admitted to the Pet Adoption Center, it is sheltered here until a loving home is found. No healthy, adoptable animal is ever destroyed. We treat each animal as if he or she were our own. Each animal has a name and is checked daily for health and disposition. Our caring staff and volunteers provide exercise and socialization so that these animals remain emotionally healthy, too. We keep detailed health records of each animal, as well as information about their personality and behavior.

Our Adoption Counselors help people to find the right pet based on personalities and lifestyle. People who wish to adopt a dog, puppy, cat or kitten from our Adoption Center go through an extensive adoption process which involves the completion of an application, interview with an adoption counselor and counseling on the health and care of your new pet. This is done to ensure that the animals will be well cared for in a permanent, loving and responsible home. And it doesn't stop there ... we are always available after the adoption to help with any questions or issues that may come up.

CHECK OUT OUR PET LIST FOR WONDERFUL ADOPTABLE ANIMALS!

Map to our shelter

IS YOUR PET DRIVING YOU CRAZY? Don't despair!! The answers to your problems are just a phone call away! Our Pet Behavior Help Line is now up and running! We send you written materials specifically addressing the problem you are having with your pet and then we follow up with a personal phone call to talk about the materials and answer any other questions you may have in order to help you and your pet resolve the issue. Call (951) 688-4340 Extension 316 today!

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

PET-ASSISTED THERAPY Our volunteers and shelter animals visit patients at convalescent and rehabilitation hospitals on a monthly basis.

INFORMATION & REFERRALS We provide a wide variety of helpful information and referrals to the public including low cost spay and neuter programs.

OUTREACH & EDUCATION We go out into the community providing information about pet adoptions, the importance of spaying and neutering, and pet owner responsibilities.

PET BEHAVIOR HELP LINE The public may call our Help Line at (951) 688-4340 Extension 316 and receive information from specially trained volunteers to help them deal with their pet's behavior problem.

HEAD START PROGRAM FOR DOGS & CAT SOCIALIZATION Volunteers teach shelter dogs some basic manners including walking easy on a leash, sit, and stay. They also socialize our resident cats, giving them love, attention, and lots of petting!

FOSTER CARE Sometimes we have little ones who are so young that they need extra special personal care, or we have an injured adult dog or cat that requires extra TLC in a home atmosphere. Our volunteers care for these animals in their homes until they are healthy enough to return to the shelter and be put up for adoption.

PET IDENTIFICATION TAGS Instant identification tags made while you wait. Made of sturdy aluminum in a variety of colors and shapes. Remember, your pet's identification tag is his or her ticket home!

You can be an active participant in helping us save unwanted domestic animals by sponsoring the dog or cat of your choice on a monthly basis. Check out our pet list and choose a furry little friend. We will send you a monthly letter to update you on your sponsored pet, including a list of all the current animal residents. When your sponsored friend has been adopted, all you have to do is choose a new furry friend. To find out more, call (951) 688-4340 Extension 307.

Do you love animals and have some extra time in your life and love in your heart? Can you spare a few hours a month? Volunteer opportunities are available for those 16 or over for:

1. Dog and Cat Socializing and Exercise: This involves walking training and playing with the dogs to keep them comfortable with human interaction and increases their adoptability. It also involves socializing and playing with the cats and kittens in their designated area.

2. Office Support: Volunteers are needed to assist with general office duties such as answering phones, helping with computer correspondence, and greeting and assisting the public during business hours.

3. Special Events and Fundraising: Some of the special events include the Walk with the Animals and Comedy Night. Volunteers are needed to staff the events and help with fundraising mailings and invitations.

4. Pet Assisted Therapy: Help make someone smile by taking one of our shelter animals to visit a person in a hospital or convalescent center.

For More Information on Volunteering contact Jackie Lamirande at (951) 688-4340 Extension 306.

Remember, adopting a pet from your local shelter helps save lives. Here are some important statistics from the Humane Society of the United States regarding pet overpopulation:

Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 6-8 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year: 3-4 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year: 3-4 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs reclaimed by owners from shelters each year: Between 600,000 and 750,000—30 percent of dogs and 2-5 percent of cats entering shelters (HSUS estimate)

Number of animal shelters in the United States: Between 4,000 and 6,000 (HSUS estimate)

Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred: 25 percent (HSUS estimate)

Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year: 3

Average number of kittens in a feline litter: 4-6

Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2

Average number of puppies in a canine litter: 6-10

Unless otherwise indicated, statistics provided by The National Council on Pet Population, Study and Policy.

HSUS statistics Updated July 7, 2008.