AFV believes a humane future depends on the young people of our community. AFV’s humane educator teaches children kindness, compassion, empathy and proper animal care. The humane educator provides humane education in area schools, camps and for civic groups. These classes are offered free of charge. To schedule a tour of the shelter, a presentation at a different location or information on Furry Friends Kids' Camp call (951) 674-0618 Ext. 210.
Our foster program is a wonderful way to open your home and heart to an adoptable companion animal. Foster families care for shelter animals in their home and take the animals to adoptions shows until they are adopted. This is a great way for AFV to find out about the pet and match them up with the perfect family for adoption. It also frees up space at the shelter for new animals arriving. If you are interested in the foster program call (951) 674-0618 Ext. 216. Make a difference in the life of a shelter animal.
AFV also helps our community by providing the following:
- Transportation and financial assistance to those needing help with spaying or neutering their pet
- Emergency pet care information
Nearly 90% of animals without microchips who become lost never find their way home again. A microchip is a foolproof way of identifying your pet and ensuring his safe return. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a unique number which will identify your pet. Most shelters, veterinarians and many pet stores utilize scanners to detect microchips in pets. If your pet is microchipped, and your information is current and the animal comes in to our shelter, we will contact you. AFV provides microchipping for $20 at the shelter and our clinic.
SPECIAL OFFER TO AREA RESIDENTS
Animal Friends of the Valleys and the cities of Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, and Wildomar have partnered and are offering $5 microchips to pets in these cities. AFV and the city of Temecula have partnered to offer FREE microchips for their pets. This Microchip Special will be available while funds last! (Funds for the city of Murrieta and Riverside County areas we serve are no longer available.)
AFV is a firm believer in humane euthanasia for very sick, elderly or seriously injured pets. For more information and advice, please call 951-674-0618, ext. 233.
AFV understands the special bond senior citizens can form with animals. We regularly take animals to local senior residential communities to visit with the residents. The seniors enjoy petting, holding and visiting with the animals and the animals love the attention.
AFV is always in need of responsible volunteers! Adults are especially needed. There are a number of ways in which you can help; some positions require your presence at the shelter, but many do not!
We need volunteers at:
Our Shelter: Volunteers are scheduled at the shelter Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Volunteers must sign up in advance.
Basic duties include the following:
- Cleaning cages and kennels
- Polishing and dusting
- Washing food and water bowls
- Pulling weeds and doing yard work
- Laundry, mopping and general housekeeping
- Bathing the animals with a staff member
- Overall care of the building, grounds and the live-in animals.
Each shift will end with interacting with the animals, giving treats to dogs or visiting with the kittens in the community cat room.
We also need volunteers at our shelter office to help with filing.
If you have a few hours and would like to volunteer in Rascal’s Boutique (AFV’s on-site store) we would love to have you.
Off-site Adoption Shows: We hold adoption shows every Saturday at the Temecula PETCO (40474 Winchester Rd, Temecula CA). Volunteers are needed from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We're looking for responsible volunteers to work the entire shift, every Saturday. Work consists of setting up/breaking down kennels and cleaning cattery, walking dogs, answering questions from the public, and assisting in the adoption process.
Yard Checkers: We visit the yard of every family who adopts one of our dogs to make sure they have a suitable environment for him including a sturdy fence, plenty of space for his size, shade, etc. We need people from Fallbrook to Perris and Hemet. Yard checkers must be at least 18 years of age and have their own transportation and automobile insurance.
Foster Parents: Many animal lives are saved each year by people like you who take shelter animals into their homes to care for until they are adopted. Fostering frees up space in the shelter and gives animals extra time to find their special homes. Puppies and kittens, as well as adult animals, need foster homes. For information on becoming a foster parent, please call our foster program coordinator at 951-674-0618 ext. 216 or print out a foster
parent application and mail to us. Foster parents must be over 18 years of age or have parental permission. Head here for more information for foster families.
Fundraising Events: Volunteers are needed to help at fundraising events throughout the year. Duties may include set up/break down, registration, coordinating people and animals, or working booths. Our annual Fore...The Animals Golf Tournament, Save Our Strays Poker Run, Wines for Canines and Kitties, and Spooktacular Pet Parade are some of our larger fundraising events. We really depend on the help of volunteers! If you would like to be on a fundraising committee, please contact our event coordinator at 674-0618 ext. 217.
Seniors' Pet Day: AFV understands the special bond senior citizens can form with animals. We regularly take animals to local senior communities to visit with the residents. If you have a pet who would enjoy making the day brighter for a group of seniors, please consider joining us for a Seniors' Pet Day.You and your pet can make a difference!
ONLINE REGISTRATION: Click Here to Register
PLEASE NOTE:Volunteer orientations are held the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 5 to 6 p.m. You must complete the online application form, then schedule yourself for orientation on the Volunteer Calendar . You can choose the Wednesday orientation date you want to attend and click the sign up button.
All volunteers must be 14 years of age or older. Volunteers under the age of 16 must have a parent or guardian become a volunteer with them and accompany them while volunteering.
AFV volunteer t-shirts must be worn while volunteering for AFV. T-shirts can be purchased at the orientation or on the first day of volunteering for $15 each.
Students can fulfill their high school community service requirement by volunteering for AFV!
Any other inquiries about the volunteer program, please contact our volunteer coordinator at 951-674-0618, ext. 214
AFV has many programs that depend on donations from our supporters. From remembering the animals in your will to sponsoring our “Shelter Shuttle” van, we have an easy way for everyone to help the animals.
Make a Donation
Make a donation to the shelter by mailing a check or money order to:
Animal Friends of the Valleys 33751 Mission Trail, Wildomar, CA 92595
If you would like to make a donation by credit card over the phone please call (951) 674-0618 Ext. 219.
We will gladly send a gift acknowledgement to anyone you designate.
Wills, Bequests, & Planned Giving - Make a lasting gift to help the homeless animals! Remember AFV in your will, trust, or financial and insurance plans.
Corporate Sponsorship: - Your company can sponsor AFV in a number of ways. For example, you could sponsor a fundraising event, advertise your logo on our “Shelter Shuttle” van for $500 per year, and have your business cards and flyers included in every adoption packet. Please call our event coordinator at (951) 674-0618 ext. 217 or our development and program supervisor at (951) 674-0618 ext. 218 for more information on how your company can help save the animals!
Buy-A-Brick, Build-A-Shelter: Buy-A-Brick, Build-A-Shelter project. Your brick with your personal inscription will become a permanent part of the shelter. Many donors choose to inscribe their bricks as memorials to beloved departed pets. Some choose to make them memorials to family members or friends who deeply loved animals during their lifetime, while others simply inscribe their own name as a declaration of their commitment to help animals in need. Inscribed bricks are also available as gifts. A gift acknowledgment can be sent to anyone a donor designates at the time of purchase. A brick donation of $50 includes an inscription of three lines of up to twenty characters each. For more information, please contact our team at (951)674-0618 ext. 234
We gratefully accept food donations for the animals (please, no food with red dyes). Please consider donating the IAMS brand or Pedigree. That way, adopters can continue feeding their new pets the same diet they are used to for their continued health and wellbeing.
Dogs:
Dry – Iams or Pedigree- Puppy, adult & small Canned/Wet – Iams or Pedigree
Cats:
Dry – Iams Kitten and/or adult
Canned/Wet – Kitten, filet, sauce or pate
The animals also need:
- Kitty litter (for multiple cats)
- Kong toys and peanut butter for afternoon treats
- Laundry detergent
- Bleach
- Dish detergent (not antibacterial)
- 34-gallon black trash bags/leaf bags for the oversized garbage cans on site
- Velour blankets (These are not only comfy for the animals but do not capture the hair like fleece does. They also don't weigh as much as a wet towel, to speed up daily laundry times.)
New contribution year begins September 2015
Help the homeless animals every time you do your grocery shopping and it won't cost you a thing! Simply sign up to participate in the Ralphs Community Contribution Program and then swipe your Ralphs Club Card every time you shop.
September 2015 begins a new contribution year. If you signed up previously, you will need to re-enroll. Simply go to www.ralphs.com and click on "Community", then "Community Rewards", then click the "Enroll Now" tab at the bottom of the page and follow the directions. Type in "Animal Friends of the Valleys" (or AFV's organization number, 82202). You will need to have your Ralph's card handy so you can enter your 13-digit Club Card number, which is located on the back of your card. Once your enrollment is activated, Ralphs donations begin helping the animals every time you shop.
Ralphs will pay AFV on a quarterly basis, based on the following monthly purchases (not to exceed $150 per household per quarter):
- Up to $200 - 1%
- $200.01-$350 - 2%
- $350.01-$500 - 3%
- Over $500 - 4%
Don't have a card? Go to any Ralphs store or log onto www.ralphs.com to sign up for your club card today!
This program is an easy way to donate and help save the lives of homeless animals!
When funds are available through donations or grants AFV offers financial aid to low-income families to pay for medical procedures for their pets and spay and neuter services. AFV believes spaying and neutering is the only way to end pet overpopulation. Financial opportunities are listed on AFV’s website at www.animalfriendsofthevalleys.com when available.
Lost your pet? Please come to the shelter to look for your lost pet. Please bring proof of rabies vaccination and spay/neuter certificate (if applicable) and a collar and leash. If the animal is not at the shelter fill out a lost report (which will be posted to our website). Look at other shelters in the area. AFV does have a copy of the address listing of local shelters in the area. Put up signs in the vicinity of where the pet went missing. Check with local veterinarians and groomers. Continue to come to the shelter every few days and physically look for your pet. Look on AFV’s website at www.animalfriendsofthevalleys.com under the tab ANIMALS to see if your animal has arrived. DO NOT GIVE UP! If you are reunited with your pet, please have the animal microchipped in the event the animal goes missing in the future.
If you have found a pet and want to hold it and try to find the owner, bring the animal to the shelter to have it scanned for a microchip. Call us at (951) 674-0618 Ext. 213 and file a found report.
Contact AFV at webmaster@animalfriendsofthevalleys.com to file a Lost/Found report.
Every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30 children joyously come to the shelter (accompanied by a parent) to read to the shelter animals. They bring a book or two, check in at the classroom and then go read to the animals. Not only does this help the child with their reading skills, it provides companionship to the animals. To sign up go to SavingHuey.org. Thank you to Tracy Lystra for implementing and overseeing this great program.
AFV works closely with many approved rescue partners. Our rescue coordinator sends out emails daily in hopes of having one of our rescue partners come and take an animal from the shelter in an effort to free up needed space. To partner with AFV the rescue group must have an approved application on file. For more information call (951) 674-0618 Ext. 224.
AFV works very closely with Project Wildlife. Project Wildlife rehabilitates and releases many species of wildlife when they are ready to go back to nature. They have the expertise in repairing broken wings, illness and injuries to all wildlife. They also raise abandoned babies of all species.
If you see a baby bird of any species on the ground, please do not remove them the area. You can place them in an area (such as on the ground in bushes) protected from other animals. The mother (and father) will hear the baby’s cry and will continue feeding them.
AFV accepts all wildlife and will transfer the animal to Project Wildlife if deemed necessary.