Uh-Oh!
Have you lost or found a pet?
Unfortunately, YAPS cannot accept stray animals to be re-homed. However, when space permits, we will hold lost dogs found in Yucaipa (only) for up to 48 hours. We do post all stray pets we hold on the Facebook Page for Lost Pets Yucaipa/Calimesa. Our goal as a private, nonprofit, rescue group is to give a lost pet every opportunity to be returned home before we step in to re-home them. Animals turned into our facility as strays legally have to be turned over to San Bernardino County Animal Control Devore Animal Shelter. We do make every effort to rescue unclaimed dogs from local shelters.
According to California law, only after 14 days is a pet considered abandoned and ownership is transferred to finder.
What to do if you lost a pet:
- Search your property and neighborhood thoroughly. Do not be afraid to ask fellow neighbors if they have seen the pet
- Facebook Group — Lost Pets of Yucaipa/Calimesa — post a photo with location lost.
- Complete flyers on Lostmydoggie.com (automatically posts to vets/shelters)
- Post on Petharbor.com (national shelter database).
- Create a flyer with the pets picture and a written description including important information like breed, color of collar, sex, and any other distinguishing marks or information. Don’t forget to include a number that people can contact you if they find or see your pet.
- Post or pass out the flyers within your neighborhood and at the local veterinary offices.
- Visit all local animal control agencies, humane societies, and animal shelters in your area as well as those in neighboring counties or cities if applicable. Leave a a flyer of your lost pet at every location. Remember many lost pets go unclaimed because their owners thought it was too much trouble to come to the Animal Shelter and look for them.
- Check classified section of local newspapers.
What to do if you found a pet
- Have the pet scanned by a local veterinarian for a microchip. There is no cost to do this. If there is a chip they will be able to retrieve the owner’s information and contact them.
- Facebook Group — Lost Pets of Yucaipa/Calimesa — post a photo with location found.
- Search the neighborhood that the pet was found and ask people within the area if they know or recognize the pet.
- Complete flyers on Lostmydoggie.com (automatically posts to vets/shelters)
- Post on Petharbor.com (national shelter database).
- If you cannot keep the pet, call animal control for the area in which live, if you live in the City of Yucaipa is 1-800-472-5609, to come and get the pet.
- If no microchip is found create a flyer with the pets picture and a written description. Don’t forget to include a number that people can contact you if they identify the pet as possibly being their own.
- Post the flyers in the neighborhood that the pet was found as well as post them at local veterinary clinics, animal control agencies and other animal shelters.
- Call the local newspapers and place a found ad. Most of the time there is no fee for this service. Yucaipa News Mirror and Press Enterprise will run an ad for free for 2 weeks.
Shelters in the area:
San Bernardino County Animal Control-Devore
Includes the cities of Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Highland, Running Springs, Yucaipa & the unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County
19777 Shelter Way, Devore, CA
(909) 386-9820
Riverside City/County Animal Services
6851 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, CA
951-358-7387
Redlands Animal Control
504 North Kansas, Redlands, CA
909-798-7644
City of San Bernardino Animal Control
Includes the cities Colton, Fontana, and Loma Linda
333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, CA
909-384-1304
909-350-6565 (Fontana Licensing)
Ramona Humane Society
Serving San Jacinto and Hemet
690 Humane Way, San Jacinto, CA 92582
951-654-8002
Big Bear Animal Shelter
42080 N. Shore Drive, Big Bear City, CA 92314
909-866-4943
Other Resources
- Daisy’s Hope Foundation (Trap/Neuter/Return Services, Help with food and supplies, microchips, spay/neuter)
- The Paw Mission (has a program for feral cats) (909) 784-5894
- Pet Over Population Coalition (Spay/Neuter Resources)
- TNR Riverside (Trap/Neuter/Return Services)

Adult Volunteers (16 years and up)
This program is for volunteers whose main objective is to help in the office, with fundraisers, adoption events, working directly with dogs and cats and/or be part of the everyday kennel and cattery care. YAPS is in need of volunteers that can commit to a minimum of 25 hours per year. There is no limit on how many hours you can volunteer.
All Volunteers must complete a Wags & Walk and 2 training days to become a volunteer.
Volunteer Activities:
- Adoption Placement
- Adoption Events held offsite
- Facility Maintenance (to include lawn mowing, raking, weeding, gardening, planting, etc.)
- Foster care
- Fundraising/Fundraising Events
Laundry and/or dishes - Marketing
- Office Assistant
- PAWSitive Reading Team (leading youth and families through a session of reading with the dogs or cats)
- Socializing felines and cleaning duties in the Cattery
- Socializing Dogs (to include training, walking and helping them through their transition at YAPS)
- Social Media
- Special Events: Planning and Organizing
- Special Events: Day of Event
- Wags & Walk Team
- Website Development
Junior Level Volunteers (14 - 15 years old)
Every minor under the age of 16 MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
To participate in this program student volunteers must meet the following requirements listed below.
- Open to students ages 14-15 years of age that have attended a Wags &
- Walk and 2 training days. Must be signed off by a qualified staff member.
- Participate in animal socialization.
- Suggested minimum commitment of 20 hours per year.
Options to Complete Hours
- Participate in monthly Wags & Walk
- Socializing with felines in the cattery, reading to dogs or other socialization activities with dogs.
- Helping with laundry, washes dishes and litter boxes
- Scooping poop, sweeping pathways, pulling weeds, watering plants
Kennel and Cattery cleaning
All Lend-A-Paw read and fill out all of the Volunteer Application, Waiver of Liability and Policy and Procedures Manual. Volunteer applicants are available once a Wags & Walk and 2 training days are complete.
Have-A-Heart Volunteer Program (10 hours or less and/or under the age of 14)
Have-a-Heart Volunteers Program at YAPS
Every minor under the age of 16 MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
A fun and flexible way to help the animals and complete community service hours. Below are some great ways for individuals or groups who wish to complete a community service project, but lack the time or availability to commit to the YAPS Volunteer Program. This is perfect for students needing to complete community service hours for school credit, clubs, and churches. Volunteers of this nature are encouraged to choose one of the following options within this section as a means of helping the pets at the YAPS facility. We ask that individuals take responsibility for logging their hours and start keeping time from the moment they start brainstorming.
Wags & Walks
Monthly participation in the “Wags & Walk” at YAPS (New volunteers please arrive 20 min early. Please bring a completed Waiver of Liability). You can take a YAPS resident dog on a walk through the beautiful terrain on Chapman Heights Road in Yucaipa. Please see events page for upcoming dates. No personal pets allowed on the walk. Parent or Guardian must be present and must be the one holding the leash during the walk. Each walk lasts approximately one hour. Anyone of any age is invited to participate in the walk, however, children under 14 years of age are not allowed to hold leashes during the walk. All children and teens under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a parent and all participants must have a valid waiver on file.
Pet Food/Supply or Coin Drive
Work with YAPS staff to create a program where you or your group monitor donation canisters/boxes collecting spare change, food, or other supplies needed for the facility. All you need to do is decorate large cardboard boxes or trash bins and ask local businesses, schools or churches permission to display your container and collect items. Make a commitment to check on the supply boxes weekly and bring in supplies to YAPS.
Organize a fundraiser -- Lemonade Stand/Bake Sale/Yard Sale
These fundraising activities may seem old fashioned but can be a fun way for young individuals or groups to get involved with our cause and to make a difference in the lives of homeless animals. Simply hold your fundraiser and your convenience and deliver the proceeds to YAPS.
Paws to Recycle
This is a great opportunity for individuals and/or groups to give back to homeless animals while encouraging a green community. Organize a recycling campaign in your neighborhood, school, church or place of work to raise much needed funds for the furry friends of YAPS. Take the items collected to a recycling center and donate the proceeds to YAPS.
Facility Improvement Projects
School, church and civic groups are able to spend a day YAPS to improve the facility and grounds that house our furry friends. Throughout the year improvement projects are in the works to add to the aesthetics and functionality of our facility. Our grounds require constant maintenance and having extra hands to help keep the grounds tidy is always appreciated. Please make arrangements by calling in to the YAPS office at least 3 weeks in advance. We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Items of Need (can be collected for supply drives)
- Clorox Wipes
- Hand Soap
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Laundry soap
- Dawn Dish Soap
- Dry Adult Dog Food
- Can Adult Dog Food
- Dry Adult Cat Food
- Can Adult Cat Food
- Purina One or Pedigree Dry Puppy Food
- Purina One or Pedigree Can Puppy Food
- Purina One Dry Kitten Food
- Fancy Feast Can Kitten Food
- Cat litter
- 45+ gallon trash bags
- 13 gallon trash bags
- Sponges/scouring pads
- Standard copy paper
- Rubber gloves
- Brooms
- Postage Stamps
