The Best Riverside, CA Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Yucaipa Animal Placement Society (YAPS)

Yucaipa Animal Placement Society (YAPS) is a no-kill nonprofit dog and cat rescue based in Yucaipa, CA. Our mission is to strive to prevent the euthanasia of dogs and cats throughout the region by providing them a temporary safe haven until a permanent and loving home can be found.

Huey's Rescue

We are a Non-Profit Organization inspired by the loss of a beloved cat, Huey, that is here to help local shelter pets in need. Our rescue is located in Temecula, CA and we focus our efforts on helping our local animal shelters (Animal Friends of the Valleys and Ramona Humane Society). We take the unwanted, sick and injured kittens, cats, puppies and dogs as well as small animals from these shelters. We place these animals into loving and experienced temporary foster homes until they are physically and mentally healthy enough to find their forever homes.

Muttly Crew

Our goal at Muttly Crew, Inc is to rescue animals from harm many of which have been abandoned, hurt, or abused. We are a non-profit 501c3 organization committed to the care and re-homing of all the dogs that we save. Our goal is to help them heal, get needed veterinary care, neutered/spayed to make them ready for a forever home.​ We count on volunteers to help support our rescue efforts, involving immediate rescue from harmful situations, and trapping of abandoned animals to get them off the street. We are strictly a volunteer-based organization that relies on fundraisers, collecting donations, silent auctions, raffles; etc. to support our rescue efforts.

Forever Young K9 Rescue

In July 2013, I walked into North Valley shelter in Los Angeles to adopt a dog named Austin for a wonderful woman Gina Mann Landers. Gina had seen his picture in the shelter and wanted to open her home to him. The shelter advised me against adopting him because they thought he was at least 10 years old, and they did not believe he would live much longer. Austin and I walked out of the shelter that day and he never looked back. After leaving that day with Austin, I could not help but wonder how many other seniors were left behind because someone told adopters they were too old and it was a mistake. That began the journey to start Forever Young. I have learned many things along the way and have been touched and blessed by many experiences. I learned it was not just seniors that were left behind; the sick are treated similarly. In November of 2013, a sweet boy named Pelo was turned in by his owner because he was sick. He was not given treatment and he spent his time lying in his kennel in pain. Many rescues walked by him and did nothing. For me, it was beyond heartbreaking to see him neglected and suffering. But, there was a small community of individuals who resolved to rescue him. With only 30 minutes to closing, Sandy Naples rushed in and adopted him. With the help of the AC officer, Sandy placed him in her car and met me at our vet. Our vet confirmed he was suffering, and had been for some time. We gave him a comfortable bed, a sponge bath, managed his pain, and gave him the affection he deserved. For the first time in a very long time, he had a restful night’s sleep. The next morning, on Thanksgiving Day, we celebrated with the entire staff with a large breakfast consisting of all things that are bad for you. Later that day, surrounded by people and affection, he crossed the rainbow bridge. By giving just a little of our hearts and our time, we were able to provide profound relief to Pelo. Our experience with Pelo stays with us and serves as a strong reminder of our purpose in starting Forever Young. As our rescue has grown over the years we have opened and will continue to open our hearts to all dogs of all ages and circumstances. Whether they are with us for an hour, a day, a week, a year, or a lifetime, they all deserve to cross with love and dignity.

Moreno Valley Animal Services

Moreno Valley Animal Services offers a wide range of services, including dog licensing. Dogs and cats are available for adoption at the animal shelter for a nominal fee.

Redlands Humane Society

The Redlands Humane Society generally has a varied selection of pets available for adoption. Cats and dogs, pure breeds and mixed breeds, large and small, young and old. All waiting for that special person or family to love and be loved by. We operate an “all breeds” pet rescue and adoption program. We do not operate a shelter and never euthanize a healthy animal. All of our animals are in volunteer foster homes until they find good adoptive homes. We have no paid staff, this is an all volunteer organization. While this gives our pets a more caring environment, it also limits the number of pets we can take into our system at a time. If you are interested in more information on becoming a volunteer foster, please see our page for volunteer opportunities. We are the oldest Humane Society operating in California, with over 100 years of history. This history pre-dates the annexation of Redlands as a city. Our historical documents are on display at the Smiley Library in Redlands. Our current program, “Operation Second Chance” has been our focus since the 1990s.

Living Free Animal Sanctuary

We believe in creating a refuge for those in need of a second chance. Living Free is a home for all, a place where you can hear animals playing, people laughing and hearts healing. Emily Jo Beard had a vision – to create a sanctuary where abandoned, abused and neglected animals would be safely housed, cage free, until they could find a loving home. She believed in freedom and reverence for all life, and that justice was not meant for humankind alone, but also for animal-kind. To her, dominion over the animals meant guardianship, not power and tyranny. The courage to stand up for the rights of animals did not mean physical courage, but moral courage. Emily’s compassion still inspires us, and each life saved is a tribute to her legacy. For thousands of years, our site was home to the Cahuilla Indians who left behind archaeological evidence in the many morteros and petroglyphs that can be found on the property. We have taken steps to protect these sites and the Cahuilla legacy. In the early 1900s, John Keen bought the property developed it into a camp. His family built a resort known as Tahquitz Lodge that was used as a location for filmmaking featuring Mary Pickford, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Elvis Presley and Katharine Hepburn. Since then, it has been a cattle ranch, a logging camp, a stagecoach stop, a mountain retreat and film location for the 1920's Hollywood elite.

Dogs In Need Organization

Dogs In Need Organization is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of stray or abandoned animals in CA. We rescue all breeds (primarily small breeds) and are 100% volunteer run, utilizing foster homes to rescue dogs in need. Dogs In Need Organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit who is recognized, and is in good standing, with the Internal Revenue Service. All donations are tax deductible. It is our belief that the killing of adoptable shelter pets is wrong, and we fight every day to save as many as we can. Shelters have differing views of what ‘adoptable’ is, and we believe the sick and scared deserve a chance at life as well. We hope to see an end to all killing of healthy and treatable animals.

Dream Team Angels Rescue

Dream Team Angels Rescue is a group of women who volunteer 100% of their time to helping homeless, sick, and injured dogs find their forever homes. Our history Dream Team Angels Rescue has been operating as a small federally recognized non profit rescue 501(c)(3) since 2018. Collectively, we have been helping our local pet population for more than 25 years!

The Animal Rescue Center of California

The housing crisis of 2008 created a wave of stray street dogs as owners lost their homes and moved to apartment buildings. With county shelters over-capacitated and animal control inundated, we saw an urgent need for help and stepped in immediately. With the help of private rescue organizations and low-cost spay and neuter programs, we have been able to rescue hundreds of animals off the street and find them loving permanent homes. There is a great deal more to do! Our vision moving forward is to continue helping animals in urgent need with a stronger support network and a greater capacity to rescue. Our ultimate intention is to create an animal campus in the eastern Coachella Valley to house rescued animals while finding suitable adopting families. Until then, we will continue our mission to help animals as we build The Animal Rescue Center of California.

Hesperia Animal Shelter

The fully staffed shelter provides care for animals who are impounded because they have become separated from their owners but will be quickly reunited. The shelter also cares for animals that need to be adopted into a new family and those that must be humanely euthanized. The need for this agency is due mostly to irresponsible pet ownership and pet over-population. While the benefits of pet ownership are many, pets that are not properly cared for can become not only a nuisance, but also a threat to the health and safety of neighbors.

Shadow Husky Rescue, Inc.

Hope Ranch Animal Sanctuary

Hope Ranch Animal Sanctuary is a non-profit organization; obtained our 501(c)3 in 2011 - ID #27-810495 Located in Anza, CA In 2003 Kathy Haley moved to Anza, California in hope of providing sanctuary for large abused and neglected animals such as donkeys, llamas, alpacas, pigs, and many more. At the time, she was also volunteering for a dog rescue and after learning about the importance of rescue work, Kathy saw an opportunity to help by employing her own ideas about animal welfare, rescue and care taking the whole animal mind, body and spirit into consideration. A few years later, she met Lisa Ashe. Kathy and Lisa had so many ideas, dreams, and goals in common. They instantly clicked and that was when "Hope Ranch Animal Sanctuary", a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, was born in 2011 and have been going strong since. Lisa passed away in 2017 from Cancer but to this day, is still a major inspiration to Hope Ranch and always a part of our team and family. She helped saved countless lives. At Hope Ranch Animal Sanctuary, we are dedicated to taking in abused, neglected, and euthanasia listed animals that deserve a second chance and need us the most.

Doggie Bonez, Inc.

Doggie Bonez was founded by Jacqueline aka Jackie. She has a passion for dogs that started at an early age. Instead of playing with dolls, she enjoyed playing with all of her animals. Jacqueline’s first rescue was more than 18 years ago. She hasn’t looked back since, except to fondly remember all of her successful adoptions! Doggie Bonez is run by a group of volunteers, who provide their time, effort, and their love of all dogs. Doggie Bonez would not be as successful as it is today without all the help of these special people. If you would like to volunteer to help these great people and care for these great dogs & puppies, please Contact Us. We would be forever grateful for any and all help you could provide.

Southern Star Animal Rescue

We are a small, 501c3 non-profit rescue organization, dedicated to placing homeless animals into loving, caring, “forever” homes. We take in all breeds, regardless of age, health conditions or personality. We treat them with respect and kindness, our reward is the constant love and affection (and slobber) that we get back from them. Every single one of them deserves a “furever” home and the chance to live a HAPPY, carefree, life. All of these wonderful animals are provided with a home-type environment, where we can evaluate, socialize and rehabilitate them as needed until they are ready to be adopted out. We also strive to bring more awareness to the public about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets to help stop pet overpopulation.

ARE Animal Rescue

ARE Animal Rescue is a private rescue operating a no-kill animal shelter and rescue with two main locations and 5+ satellite catteries in retail stores. We assist with over 3000 adoptions every year, and have between 500-1000 animals in our care at all times. We operate the animal shelter in the city of Banning and assist with reuniting lost pets with their owners and finding homes for unclaimed strays. We provide all of our animals with food, water, shelter, vaccinations, microchips, essential medical care via our partner veterinarian clinics, and eventually a spay/neuter which will help curb the enormous problem of animal overpopulation. We run an expansive foster program to help get as many at-risk animals out of a shelter environment as soon as possible. And we run adoption events and have cattery locations across Southern California to provide as many animals as possible exposure to potential adopters.

Code Red K9 Crew

The Pet Adoption Center of Orange County

Foster Army Animal Rescue

Redlands Animal Shelter

Our mission is to maintain the best environment we can offer for the many stray and homeless animals we acquire, as well as providing the public with an inviting and helpful experience.

Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center

The Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center (MSRPAC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit charitable organization committed to giving homeless cats and dogs another chance for a healthy and happy life by finding them good, loving homes. MSRPAC is supported solely by private donations and fundraising projects. As a limited-entry companion adoption center, the Pet Adoption Center takes in healthy, adoptable cats and dogs from owners who can no longer care for them. As space allows, we also select healthy, adoptable cats and dogs from other local animal welfare agencies. Pets that are accepted into our center must pass health and behavior evaluations. All animals stay in our care until a good, loving home is found. No healthy, adoptable animal is ever destroyed. If space is not available to admit a pet, or if the pet cannot be accepted due to any other reason, owners are referred to other facilities and organizations. All pets while in our care receive food, a comfortable environment, medical attention and loving socialization from both staff and volunteers. Our staff and volunteers monitor the physical, emotional and mental health of the animals daily. A progressive “stress reduction” program helps keep our residents healthy, happy and adoptable. All animals are vaccinated, micro-chipped and spayed or neutered. For animals that are too young to be adopted, volunteers offer temporary homes through our pet foster care program. More on volunteering » Our Adoption Counselors assist in finding the right pet based on personalities and lifestyle. Individuals who adopt our animals go through an extensive adoption process where they are counseled on the medical, physical and emotional needs of the particular dog or cat they are adopting. After the adoption, the staff and volunteers at the center are always available to help with any questions or issues that may arise. Caring for homeless pets is not all the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center does. MSRPAC is very active in promoting animal welfare and positive human-animal relations through community-service programs which include humane education, pet behavior counseling, and support of pet overpopulation education and programs. More than 100 years of caring The Riverside Humane Society was established in 1897 for the purpose of preventing cruelty to children and animals. The first shelter was dedicated in 1917 and housed dogs, cats, horses, cows, birds, chickens and more. The society was incorporated in 1929 and in 1956 moved to 5791 Fremont Street. RHS provided complete animal control services such as licensing, impounding stray animals, accepting owner turn-ins, and investigating animal cruelty and aggressive-animal reports. Then in 1995, the society relinquished all animal control responsibilities to the County of Riverside Dept. of Animal Services and reorganized as the Riverside Humane Society Pet Adoption Center. In January, 2008 RHSPAC relocated to a newly constructed, 17,000 s.f. facility at 6165 Industrial Avenue. On March 3, 2010 the Riverside Humane Society Pet Adoption Center officially changed their name to the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center.

Coachella Valley City/County Animal Shelter

I.C.A.R.E. Dog Rescue

Compassionate Animal Rescue for Medical Aid

Compassionate Animal Rescue for Medical Aid is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) founded by veterinary professionals dedicated to enhancing the lives of people in our community through our love for animals. Our purpose is to rescue sick or injured animals, provide them with necessary medical care and place them into caring homes if needed. CARMA continues to be an all-volunteer organization so that 100% of the money raised through adoptions, merchandise sales, and from our valuable individual and corporate donors and sponsors goes towards the animals we rescue.

Apple Valley Animal Services

The Animal Services Department consists of Field Services and Shelter Services, working together to protect public safety and provide humane animal care through sheltering, pet placement programs, education and law enforcement. Our philosophy is to promote responsible pet ownership, compassion toward animals and safe human-animal interactions. We celebrate partnerships with various individuals and rescue organizations that allow us to increase placement of adoptable animals into permanent loving homes. Working together, we all can provide a "Better Way of Life" for the animals in our care - four paws at a time.

Animal Authority Rescue Team

Promise 4 Paws

ALMA Rescue Foundation

Erin Riley-Carrasco and Suzie Williamson, lifetime friends, have a shared passion for animal advocacy. Suzie founded a Spay and Neuter Campaign in her hometown of Vizcaino, Mexico and teaming with several veterinarians, has spayed and neutered over 5000 dogs in her hometown. She has also fostered, rescued and found homes for countless dogs in the area and Southern California. Erin has been an animal activist since the age of 19 and has been involved in dog rescue for 30 years. In 2015 she worked closely with a group of dedicated volunteers to get nine city ordinances passed in Southern California, banning puppy mill pet stores in the area. She also volunteered with “Social Compassion In Legislation,” flying to Sacramento and testifying in favor of AB485 which ended up passing, ending puppy mill pet stores in the state of California. Together, this dynamic duo hopes to make an impact on the lives of needy animals by providing networking, transport, veterinary care, fosters and homes for neglected and abused dogs and cats. They truly believe that animals are someONE not someTHING and that every animal deserves a chance and a forever home.

Retrievers and Friends of Southern California, Inc

Retrievers & Friends of Southern California, Inc., was formed to rescue and re-home Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, providing an alternative to the animal shelter for owners who can no longer keep their dogs. We are a full-service rescue, with dogs coming to us from all over the Southern California area for foster care services. RFSC not only provides care for dogs while they are waiting for adoption, but we provide follow-up assistance for the life of the dog. If for any reason a family can not keep a dog, the dog is brought back to the organization for placement. We have volunteers that perform home visits before each adoption. Our geographic adoption area is Riverside, San Diego, Orange and certain areas of San Bernardino counties. We cover areas of San Bernardino county that are 1 1/2 hours or less driving distance from Temecula. In addition to Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, RFSC also accepts mixed breeds and other small purebred dogs as space allows. We accept Goldens and Labs of all ages, including seniors and those with special needs. All dogs are spayed and neutered and updated on vaccinations if not already done by the owner. Dogs with special medical needs are further evaluated by our veterinarian for treatment. Your donations are always appreciated and help us to continue to care for these special dogs. Because we are an all-volunteer group, 100% of all adoption fees and donations are used for the care of the dogs in our program. Your tax-deductible donations are appreciated!

Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter

The story of the Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter began in 1972 amidst a growing crisis of homeless and abandoned pets in the Morongo Basin. It was Kay Baker, a dedicated animal lover and the operator of Hi-Dez Kennels, who donated a 3.5-acre property in Joshua Tree to the newly formed Morongo Basin Humane Society. This generous act led to the shelter’s official opening in 1981. Over the years, despite facing challenges, the shelter has thrived with the support of our community, evolving into a recognized no-kill shelter in 2005. Today, we stand proudly as the Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter, a testament to our enduring commitment to saving lives and nurturing the bond between humans and animals.