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    Devore Animal Shelter

    3.0 (121 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 6:30 pm

    Services - Devore Animal Shelter

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    Reviews With Photos

    Brandy in the back yard
    Dante C.

    In 2013, we rescued Lola, a mixed breed Vizsla / Dalmatian from the Devore Animal Shelter. She had been found in Bloomington. Her expiration date had passed and she was scheduled for extermination. She gave us eleven years of companionship and protection. This year (2025), we rescued Brandy, a mixed breed Shepherd / Chihuahua (? not sure yet!). She had been found in Phelan. After a favorable meet and greet, I adopted her on her first day of availability because the clerk told me, "First come, first served." My tip: Go there often and look at the animals. Like a thrift store, the shelter has a different inventory of animals every week. I saw puppies on FB that were no longer available when I went there; the attractive ones advertised online go fast. The adoption fee is $20. The shelter sent Brandy to Dr. Rex in San Bernardino. (See my review of Dr. Rex.) Final note: This shelter has a reputation of being a "kill shelter." That is probably an unfair but accurate description. Too many critics online blame the shelter, but we as a society are more to blame for failing to spay and neuter our animals and for failing to provide for them safe and secure homes from which they cannot escape. My 4-star rating is based on the service provided by the shelter. I downgraded my review for the crowded and unfortunate conditions in Devore.

    New friend
    Bina S.

    I know the rep is for a high kill shelter. The keep pups that humans abandon for as long as possible. If the disgusting humans would be responsible pet owners then there would not be any killing. This is the second friend I have gotten from this shelter. They encourage meet and greets with existing pets.

    Peter G.

    I have rescued two dogs form Devore as a foster in the last 6 months. This last one, who i named Freddie, was an eight month old Aussie/Border Collie mix i named Freddie. One of the sweetest little dogs I've ever known. Found a home for him in 6 days. He's now part of a wonderful young, active family who will give him a lifetime of love. That isn't the problem. The probem is Devore earmarked him as violent. As such, rescue only and within only ten days after arriving he was set to be euthanized. We swooped up at the last minute to save this little jewel. It was a complete misread on their part. He was weary of men (this vanished within a couple of days) buy with women he is immediately a love bug. There are plenty of articles and comments out there that paint Devore as it should be - an abusive death camp, so I am not going go into it further - but i will say that in the cases of little Feddie and my previous rescue there, a pregant mom who - along with her eight pups (all of which we placed within 12 weeks) - was only given a empty kidding pool to have her pups in with no medical attentin that would have found she required a C section due to a past broken pelvis a which would have killed her in childbirth - was set to be put down one day before we got her - both labeled as dangerous, they couldn't have been more incorrect. They were both amazingly sweet dogs. I literally hate the Devore Shelter

    November 5th i adopted a beautiful dachshund mix from here. I had her for a literal 7 days before she passed because of parvo.. Her and her siblings were found in an open field, if you adopted any of her siblings i hope yours is okay. I called to let the animal shelter know, but they said they were all gone within that week that i had her. My experience here wasn't bad, just sad they don't test for parvo because it really is the worst thing to lose an animal.

    Mikey C.

    Not sure of the negative reviews, but ours was very positive. Staff has always been super friendly and nice, they seemed vary caring in the wellfare of the animals. We ended up adopting two cats that were healthy and very lovable. It was $10 adoption fee per cat, and free neuter and spaying at the vet. We did pay $15 per cat at the vet for pain medication, which the staff told us ahead of time. Petsmart charges $200 bucks for their cats, we felt we really scored on some very sweet cats to adopt.

    Baby and pj go on a road trip from Christmas

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    2 months ago

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    9 days ago

    High euthanization shelter. I feel bad for the un adopted pets. Animals are crammed in one cage and some look very ill.

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    2 years ago

    Great shelter! Very nice and caring with all animals. The best place to find your next furry friend.

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    3 years ago

    Very kind, great service! Answered all my questions. Lots of freebies. Made my adoption experience great!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Devore Animal Shelter

    Does anybody know what 'rescue only' means? I keep seeing this label on many of the animals listed on pet harbor site.

    It means only a rescue can pull them from shelters. Not just anyone.

    I live in Rialto. I have 1 mama Cat and 3 kittens now 6 months old. I can't afford to take care of them, where's a good shelter that'll take them?? Thank you?

    RANCHO ANIMAL SHELTER! ITS BASICALLY A NO KILL NOW! DEVOUR WILL KILL THEM OR EUTHANIZE THEM QUICKLY

    Does this shelter have or accept volunteers?

    YES! They DO accept volunteers, for taking the animals to petsmart (etc) for adoption days and such.They told me they have a back staff fully stocked for the shelter now, but volunteers are always welcome to help with getting the animals seen and… Read more

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Devore Animal Shelter

    The shelter should not be held responsible for their high kill rate, they really do so their best.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Rancho Cucamonga Animal Shelter - Shiloh got her microchip!! Didn't even cry!

    Rancho Cucamonga Animal Shelter

    (216 reviews)

    I walked to the Rancho Cucamonga Animal Shelter that day because I thought I might be ready for a…read moredog. Or maybe I just needed the feeling of a living thing nearby again--the kind that looks at you like you exist in a way the rest of the world sometimes forgets to. I first met Tito, who was perfectly good and perfectly himself, but the chemistry just wasn't there. So I told Melissa, one of the shelter staff, something a little strange. I said, "Just pick a dog for me. Anyone. Don't tell me anything about him. Just bring him out." And she did. The dog she brought me was beautiful and bright-eyed and eager in the way that makes you think a dog already knows something about you before you've said a word. I warmed to him immediately. We spent a little time together outside the kennel, and it felt--quietly--like a small pocket of calm inside a very loud world. Then I asked his name. Elliott. Spelled the same way as my daughter's name: E-L-L-I-O-T-T. My daughter Elliott is named after my mother, whose last name is Elliott. Three Elliotts, suddenly converging in the middle of a shelter yard on an ordinary afternoon. The kind of coincidence that makes you pause for a second and feel the strange poetry that sometimes shows up in everyday life. But the part that stayed with me the most wasn't just the dog. It was Melissa. We talked--really talked--for a moment. The kind of conversation that isn't long but still somehow manages to feel human and grounding. She shared a little of her life, and I shared a little of mine. And there was something about her presence that made the entire experience feel gentler, more thoughtful, more real. The shelter requires that every member of the household meet a dog before adoption, so I went home excited to show my daughter Elliott the pictures. She studied them carefully and then said, very plainly, "No Mommy. That dog is too big for us." And in that simple honesty there was clarity. I realized that what I went looking for that day--a companion to fill a quiet space in my life--might not be the right step just yet. But something else happened instead. That afternoon left an imprint on me. Meeting Elliott the dog, and more importantly meeting Melissa, reminded me how much compassion and patience exist in the people who choose to work in places like that every day. So instead of adopting right now, I've decided to volunteer at the shelter and spend time with the dogs there--especially Elliott, if he'll have me. Those dogs need love. And the people who care for them deserve recognition. Melissa, in particular, left a mark on my heart that I won't soon forget. In a world that often feels rushed and transactional, she offered something simple and rare: kindness, presence, and a moment of real human connection. And sometimes that's exactly what you needed all along.

    Disappointing experience. Our dogs passed last year and it was finally time to add new fur babies…read moreto our family. We wanted to adopt three puppies from the same litter (just like we have three cats from the same litter), and after browsing local sites for quite awhile, we finally found a trio of brown shelter puppies that would have been perfect. However, we were turned away because the supervisor said there is a "one dog limit." According to the City of Rancho Cucamonga website (screenshot attached), that is not an actual policy. We own our home, have a fully fenced yard, and have responsibly had multiple dogs for years until our last two passed after long, happy lives. We also donate to shelters locally and elsewhere. We are excellent pet parents. Unfortunately, now we'll be taking our adoption, and our donations elsewhere.

    Redlands Animal Shelter - These two employees tried forcing me to take an aggressive animal.

    Redlands Animal Shelter

    (53 reviews)

    Found a stray boxer in front of the RUSD office building and called to get Redlands animal control…read moreto come get it. After 15 minutes on hold the girl told me to call her supervisor and gave me a number, the number was for Devore Shelter. Devore said call Redlands, since the dog was found in Redlands they refused to get it--no one would come get it and the worker at Redlands told me if I left the dog there I was breaking the law. She wouldn't have someone come look at the dog unless I posted it on Facebook first, even though i told her I didn't have Facebook and expressed numerous times he was a very LARGE, intact male boxer with an unknown temperament. I expressed the dog seemed fairly nice but I wasn't feeling safe with him and my three year old alone in the vehicle. Animal control said my kid would be fine and I had to bring him in or face legal action. I called a friend to come help me and brought the dog in. When we arrived there were three female staff at the desk. The blonde pictured below kept saying he was a good boy and seemed nice. She proceeded to come out to the lobby to give him treats straight from her palm and pet him while I scanned for a microchip. She went back into their office and he began quietly growling at everyone that walked by. This was making me uncomfortable. It was just he and I in the small lobby and they clearly were taking their time. I asked how long the process would take due to feeling uneasy being alone with this animal. That's when the male employee emerged from his office with an angry demeanor. When he approached the desk everything changed, suddenly they were petrified of this animal they were forcing me to be in close proximity with, the same animal my three year old was "fine to drive with". During the whole process, multiple people had come to meet with dogs and potentially adopt while I was in the lobby. They were asked to wait directly outside the door while the staff (pictured below)proceeded to walk back and forth past the dog to get paperwork and ids from them. The staff expressed they needed my ID for paperwork and couldn't trust me to fill it out without it. The ID was in the car and the staff refused to hold the dog while I retrieved it. They wanted me to walk outside past all the other adoptees with a dog showing aggressive behavior. The same dog they wouldn't let any one of those adoptees be in the room with for their safety. When I came back from the car with my ID the male began yelling at me, that it was my dog and I can't leave the stray dog at the shelter(I thought that was the purpose of an animal shelter but I guess not). They said he was aggressive--no wonder I didn't want my three year old with him. I fully believe the hostile nature of the male employee put the dog on edge and caused him to react. You guys had no problem putting my three year old in danger but you guys couldn't be bothered. The male worker had way too much Suavecito in his hair and a skin tight polo shirt all while trying to intimidate me and make me feel unsafe in the office. He was accusing the dog of protecting me and prosecuting me for turning in my own animal. He sat there staring me down repeating demands and yelling at me. They are incompetent and the whole shelter is ran by idiots. They kept the dog and threatened they are having animal control investigate me for abandoning my dog. They are a joke.

    Animals are well cared for and given regular exercise, healthy food & lots of affection by staff…read moreand volunteers

    Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter - The front of the main building.  There was also a spay and neuter clinic, with an entrance to the left of this view.

    Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter

    (304 reviews)

    We had a whirlwind of getting our little kitty today and I must say that Alicia and all the staff…read moregave us excellent customer service and care. I appreciated that Alicia listened to what we were looking for and didn't try to get us to take animals we were not prepared to take home with us. Alicia went the extra mile and took my contact information and contacted us when a kitty that met our requirements came in. We literally found ourselves bringing our little lady home within an hour and we couldn't be happier! Everybody we encountered were very friendly and helpful.

    I wanted to share my experience fostering for Riverside County Animal Services because this entire…read moresituation has been heartbreaking, confusing, and deeply traumatic. I initially agreed to foster a sick black kitten with a severe eye infection. There were supposed to be two kittens, but the second was not there when I arrived. The shelter then asked me to return the following day. I called beforehand and was told they still needed me to come. After driving approximately an hour back to the shelter, no one seemed to know anything about the second kitten or what had happened. Instead, I was urgently asked to take home a litter of neonatal bottle babies because they reportedly had no placement available and otherwise faced euthanasia. These kittens were visibly very sick and severely flea infested, to the point that fleas were crawling around their eyes. One kitten passed during transport home. Another passed shortly after arrival. Others passed despite my efforts to stabilize and care for them. I spent days trying to save them while also seeking veterinary guidance and emergency support. When the kittens passed, I wrapped their tiny bodies in the same blankets they had been packed with, including the microwavable heating block provided with them, because everything was heavily flea infested. I then kept them frozen until I could make the hour-long drive back to the shelter. At no point was I told there was urgency regarding returning their bodies or given any instructions on how they should be handled. I brought them back the same day I volunteered for one of the shelter's "dog day out" programs. Instead of compassion, appreciation, or even basic humanity after everything that had happened, I was told I could no longer foster based upon the "condition" of the deceased kittens. Those statements absolutely destroyed me emotionally because the kittens had already been critically compromised when they were transferred into my care. They died in essentially the same fragile condition in which they had been given to me. What makes this especially painful is that I recently lost my heart dog, Kublai, after sixteen years together. Part of the reason I stepped into fostering was because I was trying to channel that grief into helping vulnerable animals in his honor. My animals are my family and, quite honestly, caring for them is one of the only things holding me together emotionally right now. To be made to feel like an abuser after desperately trying to save these tiny lives was devastating beyond words. I absolutely support rescue, fostering, and adoption, and I know vulnerable animals desperately need people willing to open their homes and hearts. I would still encourage people to foster and adopt. However, I also believe prospective fosters deserve honesty, support, clear medical guidance, and basic compassion from the organizations asking them to take home critically ill animals. I sincerely hope Riverside County Animal Services reevaluates how medically fragile neonatal animals are handled and how volunteers are treated during already traumatic situations. Deflecting blame, especially when it stems from the negligence of the paid employees (ie a supervisor who has never contacted me, sent me home with kittens she knew needed immediate flea treatment, and then accused me of abuse) is beyond horrific. My heart is with the kittens we lost and the ones still fighting. Also keep in mind that I spent over $1000 out of pocket thus far trying to save these kittens. I don't want to in anyway discourage anyone from fostering but at the same time think it's best for everyone to know the realities of it, especially when they will be on the losing end of the blame game.

    Upland Animal Shelter

    Upland Animal Shelter

    (143 reviews)

    I adopted an adult kitty yesterday on 5/25/26 and the experience at the shelter was overall good. I…read moreloved that they gave us a bag of food and treats, toys, a blanket, etc. They also gave us an opportunity to sign up for a free 30 days of pet insurance. And they microchipped him. 24 hours later, my kitty is at the vet because he has tapeworms!! I am upset because they allowed us to adopt a sick cat. I noticed the tapeworms and soon as he made his first bowel movement at home. I took him into the vet first thing this morning. And even though we received a free 30 days of pet insurance, his treatment will not be covered because it is a pre-existing condition. There's no way the shelter staff didn't notice his tapeworms unless they really weren't paying any attention to his stool. So either they noticed and did nothing about it or weren't being thorough with his care. I wish this had gone differently.

    I truly don't understand how this shelter operates. When we went to cancel our paperwork because…read morethey suddenly disclosed the kitten had ringworm, they looked at us like we had done something wrong -- as if we were the problem for not wanting to bring home a contagious animal. My roommate then adopted a different kitten after being told he was completely healthy and ringworm-free. Fast forward: my roommate is now covered in ringworm, his cat has it, my 3-month-old puppy has it, and I have it too. Our home is completely contaminated. I've spent over $1,000 on vet bills alone trying to treat my puppy, and it's been over two months of nonstop cleaning, disinfecting, and reinfection with no end in sight. This shelter is clearly negligent. They rush people to pay the $100 adoption fee but fail to conduct basic medical screenings or disclose contagious conditions. Every time you ask about an animal's health, they claim everything is "fine" and "perfect" -- which is clearly not true. The amount of stress, anxiety, financial loss, and disruption this has caused is unreal. If I could take legal action, I absolutely would. Stay far away from this shelter.

    Devore Animal Shelter - animalshelters - Updated May 2026

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