A wave of recent adoptions spared the lives of 68 dogs that were going to be put down.
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Shelters in Jurupa Valley and Thousand Palms are waiving adoption fees to encourage more people to find permanent homes for pets.
The shelters are now running at maximum capacity.
"We've seen over 1,100 animals come in since the beginning of the month," said Erin Gettis, director at Riverside County Department of Animal Services. "Over 500 just since this past Monday - five days ago - so we have issued a plea to the public asking for help in relieving the amount of animals that we have at the shelter."
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The shelters said it is especially challenging to find homes for large-breed dogs.
Some places are even offering free vaccinations and microchips for pets to encourage adoption.