Actors and Others and Petco Foundation Assisting Riverside County Animals

Riverside, CA – Actors and Others for Animals is once again focusing another grant program to provide free spay or neuter surgeries for residents’ pets in some Riverside county areas.

Actors and Others is a North Hollywood-based nonprofit organization that has assisted Southern California pet owners since 1971. This is the second straight year Actors and Others, with support from the Petco Foundation, reached out to Riverside County Animal Services to help reduce pet overpopulation.

“We’re very happy Actors and Others, with support from the Petco Foundation, reached out to our agency to provide a major assistance to pet owners in our county,” Riverside County Animal Services Director Robert Miller said. “Actors and Others and the Petco Foundation are teaming up to help our residents be responsible pet owners. It’s a great program.”

The $22,000 grant funding will offset costs associated with the county’s low-cost spay and neuter program. Dog owners usually pay $85 for their pet’s surgery and cat owners normally pay $40. Dog owners will still be required to handle any licensing issues (an expired license, for example).

Riverside County Animal Services launched the program on Dec. 20 when it dispatched its mobile spay and neuter clinic – nicknamed The ANSWER on Wheels – to Good Hope. A dozen dog owners and 18 cat owners received the benefits of the grant on Dec. 20 and more pet owners will receive assistance on Wednesday (Jan. 24), the next date associated with the grant.

Pet owners will receive the assistance at the Moses Schaffer Community Center (21450 Steele Peak Drive, 92570) in the unincorporated area of Good Hope. Appointments can be requested by calling 951-358-7335 or e-mail Craig Wellmerling at cwellmer@RIVCO.ORG. Spanish speakers can call Dalia Santillan at 951-358-7294.

This grant will assist more than 200 pet owners by the time the grant funding is exhausted. “Spaying and neutering is so important to not only curb pet overpopulation but provide health benefits to boot,” said Susan Taylor, executive director of Actors and Others for Animals. “We are delighted to once again be working with Riverside County Animal Services.”

Dr. Allan Drusys, chief veterinarian for Riverside County, said his team performed almost 15,000 surgeries in 2017 and the free surgeries are a fantastic way to encourage pet owners to help prevent unwanted litters.

“We are most appreciative of this support that Actors and Others, along with the Petco Foundation, have provided to our department,” Dr. Drusys said.

About Actors and Others for Animals

Actors and Others for Animals is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. It is dedicated to eliminating pet overpopulation, ensuring the care and protection of pet companions and improving the quality of life for economically challenged, disadvantaged and underserved pet guardians by providing referral and financial assistance for spay/neuter and veterinary medical procedures together with other animal/human bond enriching programs.

About the Petco Foundation 

At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $200 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 5.5 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.